New publications

'The opening section, theoretical foundations, explores definitional, theoretical and philosophical issues in values education. Four chapters lay the foundation for detailed insights into different approaches to values education. Section Two, School Perspectives, investigates values education in a New South Wales Government school, a Catholic school in the Australian Capital Territory, an Anglican school in Tasmania, and a Jewish and an Islamic school in Victoria. Section Three gives an account of empirical studies and some expert views.' (publisher's website)

"The goal of Society and Environment: Teaching SOSE is to provide a selection of chapters by experienced educators which will enable teacher education students to reflect on the key issues and concepts in teaching Society and Environment in schools." (publisher website)

In anticipation of the fiftieth anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in the USA, Catherine Prendergast draws on a combination of insights from legal studies and literacy studies to interrogate contemporary multicultural literacy initiatives, thus providing a sound historical basis that informs current debates over issues such as positive discrimination and high-stakes standardised testing. As a result of Brown and subsequent crucial civil rights court cases, literacy and racial justice are firmly enmeshed in the American imagination—so much so that it is difficult to discuss one without referencing the other. Breaking with the accepted wisdom that the Brown decision was an unambiguous victory for the betterment of race relations, Literacy and Racial Justice finds that the ruling reinforced traditional conceptions of literacy as primarily white property to be controlled and disseminated by an empowered majority. Prendergast examines civil rights era Supreme Court rulings and immigration cases spanning a century of racial injustice to challenge the myth of assimilation through literacy. Prendergast argues that it is a shared understanding of literacy as white property which continues to impact problematic classroom dynamics and education practices. To offer a positive model for reimagining literacy instruction, the author presents a naturalistic study of an alternative public secondary school. Outlining new directions and priorities for inclusive literacy scholarship in America, this book concludes that a literate citizen is one who can engage rather than overlook longstanding legacies of racial strife.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Parents and teachers expect different things from girls and boys. This affects how they perform, and often limits what they learn and expect from themselves. This book recommends ways to involve girls in school science. Proposals include using hands-on learning techniques in the science classroom; helping girls get past the 'yuck' factor, since science is often messy; letting girls make 'big, interesting' mistakes; starting by assuming that girls are interested in mathematics, science and technology; and making mathematics and science useful and relevant to their everyday lives. See also overview by the author in the Washington Post 6 January 2004.

A survival guide for the first year of teaching, from the Times Educational Supplement, covering the spectrum of experience for trainee and new teachers in Britain. The content includes: study skills, planning lessons, managing behaviour and being observed; looking after yourself and managing time; job-hunting; tackling your first teaching job; and
how to make the most of induction. See TES description.

The latest report of the Minister of Education on the compulsory schools sector in New Zealand (also known as the Schools Sector Report). Key messages have been drawn from each chapter. They cover student achievement, engagement of students, families and communities, quality teaching, school governance and leadership, and school resourcing. On average, New Zealand students perform similarly to, or better than, international averages across a range of studies. However, within New Zealand, there is a wider spread of achievement, with a much larger proportion of students performing at lower levels, compared with most other countries with a similar overall performance. See
description in the Education Gazette.

Education as Enforcement locates a rising culture of militarism found not only in popular culture, civil society and United States foreign policy, but also in educational policy and practices. Considering the rise of the school security apparatus, accountability and standards movements, and the privatisation and commercialisation of education, this book is the first of its kind to highlight the intersections between militarisation and corporatisation. This volume brings together noted scholars in education to explore and challenge the ways that the imperatives of corporate globalisation are educating citizens through curriculum, policy and popular culture in the virtues of authoritarianism, while turning some schools into boardrooms, and others into barracks and prisons. (from publisher's description)

The Language of Children introduces the key theories of language acquisition and provides a historical overview of the subject. It looks at all the ways children learn to communicate, from writing and talking to playing and using computers. The publication also includes a wide variety of real texts and data, from children's hand-written stories to emails and records of babies' first words, and explores the language of children from a range of backgrounds and abilities, including deaf and bilingual children.

This resource endeavours to simplify research methods for educators. It covers the principles and history of action research, ethical and legal considerations, how to conduct both formal and informal action research, data collection methods, data analysis and interpretation, planning and initiating action, and evaluating the results of action.

Drawing on content from Cowley's teacher-training clinics, this handbook covers classroom management, behaviour, lesson preparation, planning, homework, time management, stress, relationships and lifestyle issues. (adapted from publisher's description)

Last year children in detention centres were interviewed by the NSW Commission for Children and Young People, in preparation for a submission to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. The children's responses are reported in Ask the Children. The report notes that Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates the right of the child to education - in particular, that primary education should be compulsory and available free to all, and that secondary education, including general and vocational education, should be available and accessible to every child. Some children reported that they received only one hour of education once or twice a week. Most received only English lessons of a very rudimentary kind, in large classes made up of children and young people across a wide range of ages. See background information and the review in Inform, June 2003.

Schools in disadvantaged areas are struggling in the current economic and political environment. Like schools everywhere they are being asked to do more with less, but they face more obstacles. Examining primary and secondary schools in disadvantaged areas in a post-industrial city, Schooling the Rustbelt Kids reopens the debate about inequality in schooling. It provides concrete evidence that typical government policies in the Western world are not working, and that they are helping to create a permanent underclass. Thomson outlines an alternative whole of government approach to policy, which builds on those school programs that do make a real difference to educational outcomes. Thomson argues that current outcomes-based and standardised policies for disadvantaged schools are not effective. Rather schools need the flexibility to develop strategies that suit their specific situation. (adapted from publisher's description) See table of contents. See also review in Practically Primary June 2003.

The use and potential of online assessment is investigated in this report. It identifies the principles of quality assessment; assessment practices that can be supported with online technologies; methods and tools that work; and factors that influence choice and design of online assessment methods. The report also identifies the challenges, barriers and possible pitfalls of online assessment. Volume 1 is the main report, while Volume 2, available only in pdf format, contains the appendices.

How well has traditional teaching practice adapted for online learning? This two-volume report looks at the process of teaching and learning online, as well as the function, work and 'art' of a teacher or trainer. Brennan examines the principles and practices which underpin the pedagogy of online delivery from various vantage points, and identifies which features most assist student learning. These principles are used to analyse the current practices of online delivery of the VET courses sampled for this study. Volume 2 contains the data and survey material used in the main report. (from publisher's description). Separate pdf files are available for Volumes 1 and 2.

The second and revised edition of this publication looks at the meaning of peace in the post 'September 11' world, draws on the history of the concept in various traditions and looks at how peace education can motivate people to change the circumstances of their existence.

With the help of lesson plans and learning activities, this resource provides teachers with practical ways to accommodate difference in primary and secondary classrooms. It includes specific methods for teaching mathematics and literacy to students who suffer a learning disability or who come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

This book discusses strategies for assisting gifted students with distinct needs based on economic position, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic grouping, geographic situation or disability. It covers issues relating to curriculum, instruction, assessment and evaluation, and ways to nurture the students' social, emotional, academic, and cognitive needs. See the publisher's description.

After a brief overview of current issues in the field, Education of the Gifted and Talented discusses issues such as the characteristics of gifted students, the problem of underachievement, the challenges of parenting and the understanding and counselling of gifted children. Other topics include strategies for identifying gifted students, considerations in planning a sound gifted and talented program, contemporary program models, problems of minority, disabled and female students, and the evaluation of gifted programs.

The unfolding of children's mental capacities plays a key role in their school performance. This publication calls for detailed observation and description of each child's mental development rather than reliance on broad labels. The chapters cover memory, language, spatial ordering, sequential ordering, motor skills and higher thinking. Each chapter also has tips for teachers and parents that address children's learning needs. In addtion, the publication describes six points where learning problems may occur: mastering skills, acquiring factual knowledge, accomplishing output, understanding, approaching tasks systematically, and handling the rate and number of demands. (From the review in Harvard Educational Review Spring 2003.

Use of the Internet has levelled off since 2001, according to this report. The number of Americans who do not use the Internet is as high as 42%, and more than half do not wish to use it. The main barriers are not cost but the frustrations with the technology and the time needed to learn it. See also the report in the Washington Post.

Six public school teachers in the United States describe their democratic educational projects. These "pockets of hope" employ Paulo Freire's notions of decentralisation of power, democratic schooling, and empowerment of students and citizens.

A collection of essays on problem-based learning, a curriculum design and a teaching/learning strategy that develops higher order thinking and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills. Students take an active role in solving problems that reflect real world situations. Topics include information literacy and e-learning. Contributors are listed on the publisher's website. The Introduction, Table of Contents and summaries of individual chapters can be viewed on the From Now On Press website.

The report raises awareness of the important economic, social and community benefits to be gained from language learning, and sets the scene for further exploration of the benefits of studying languages for students' broader educational development. In particular, the analysis has highlighted the need for greater coordination and planning of language delivery at the local level and the need to promote and strengthen language programs in country Victoria. (from the SOFweb site).

Children and young people learn within the context of human relationships. School life shapes these understandings during the most important years of childhood and adolescence, contributing to the growth of students' social competence. This publication stresses the centrality of schools in the development of socially competent individuals, and explains that social competence requires a whole-school approach that links the learning and wellbeing of all students. (from the Foreword).

Keiny identifies teachers as part of an ecology of learning. As such, they are part of a system in which they, too, are learners. In such a system (community of learners) teachers are required to generate new understandings and knowledge, and need to collaborate with others, such as teacher educators, researchers, parents and members of their communities in order to change the curriculum.

Johnston is concerned with the interplay of values that he sees occurring in the language classroom. Teachers bring with them their individual and professional values, and the class itself reflects the social and cultural values of the wider society. These values are played out in the language classroom, and add a political dimension to the relationship between teacher and student, as well as to choices about subject matter and how it is addressed.

This publication, now in its second edition, addresses the methods of clinically assessing the behaviour of young children and adolescents, along with the professional, cultural and ethical issues involved in those assessments.

Global Education is an exciting new area of the curriculum but, quite apart from the content, it raises philosophical and pedagogical questions which teachers, curriculum designers and schools need to confront. This study is based on interviews and observations of three secondary schools in the United Sates which implemented a Global Education program. It identifies the many complex practical, theoretical and philosophical issues which arose in the implemetation of the programs, and addresses the issues of professional development in Global Education for educators

Author Robert Holland proposes an alternative vision, compatible with the emerging 21st Century paradigm of a competitive education industry. His theory includes: lowering unnecessary barriers to teaching so that bright persons of diverse background and disposition can become teachers; setting up an alternative track so that bright liberal arts graduates or persons with valuable real-world experience can be hired as teachers and put under the supervision of experienced mentors; and applying value-added assessment to these new teachers, and to veteran teachers as well, so that principals can see how much each teacher has helped each child progress academically - or not - from school year to school year. Holland's plan to break up the teacher-preparation monopoly is somewhat controversial, and targets the 'thinking parents', principals, teachers and policy makers concerned with improving the state of education in the United States.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Rather than relying on long-established 'chalk and talk' teaching and learning methods, Teaching in the Sciences: Learner-Centered Approaches steers the learning process away from traditional modes of instruction to a more student-centered, activity-based curriculum that presents science in a relevant, engaging, and interesting way. This book helps educators bring out the best in their students by identifying and meeting students' needs, and providing environments that encourage active, strategic learning. The authors promote a learning-style designed to develop critical and skilled learners. This collection of papers places emphasis on learning environments and social interaction patterns, assessment processes, and perceptions of students and teachers in a range of learning and teaching settings in the life sciences. The book contains strategies for mentoring and assessing students, assessments of learning outcomes, approaches to curriculum design, constructivist approaches to teaching science, advice for using technology to support learning, and practical examples of learner-centered teaching. (adapted from publisher's description)

This book provides guidance on how to devote more time to reading instruction without neglecting the content demands of the curriculum. It presents many sample lessons, descriptions of classroom routines, and anecdotes from the authors' reading workshops.

Topics include: planning forms for whole class, small group and individual instruction; assessment and conference strategies; detailed descriptions of how to use readers' notebooks flexibly; sample lessons for specific skills instruction; annotated bibliographies of children's books to use in lesson design; and activities to extend and deepen read aloud and whole group conversations. The book also covers tips for designing lessons using non-fiction texts and student magazines; ways to organise the classroom and library to promote student independence; and alternatives to levels for matching students, books and skills instruction.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Discussing a book helps children find the heart of a story, make sense of a string of facts and understand complicated ideas. Chambers proposes an approach for discussing books so children learn to talk about what they have read. The 'tell me' approach ultimately helps children learn to clarify ideas for themselves, and to communicate with others. It presents a basic method to applying knowledge and articulating meaning.
Tell Me offers information about book-talking in the classroom, explaining some of the processes and outlining some ground rules developed by teachers and others who work with children and books.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Spelling K-8: Planning & Teaching addresses systematic teaching in the classroom without the compromise of constructivist learning. Included are specific suggestions for children whose first language is not English. Spelling K-8 addresses many issues including phonics and learning high-frequency words and offers teachers strategies and resources to draw on.
Spelling K-8 assists teachers in:
- understanding current beliefs about teaching and learning and how to translate these into classroom practice
- implementing specific types of spelling investigations, such as sounds, spelling patterns or suffixes, by clearly outlining the general process involved in spelling explorations
- identifying the possible spelling focusses for children in each grade level
relating the teaching of spelling to reading and writing experiences in a variety of curriculum areas
- knowing the generalisations children need to learn to understand how written English works.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This book explores the factors that contribute to success and failure in literacy and provides systematic and ongoing approaches for helping students most at risk. It includes: effective teaching practices for literacy instruction; recommendations for motivating low-achieving students; suggestions for working with ESL learners; strategies for small group instruction, word study, reading comprehension and writing; and an extensive Strategy Bank that provides over 20 step-by-step practices.
(adapted from publisher's description) Available from Curriculum Corporation.

Choice Words shows how teachers can use language to build healthy learning communities. The author provides examples of ordinary words, phrases and uses of language that are pivotal in the orchestration of the classroom. The book demonstrates how the things we say (and don't say) have surprising consequences for what children learn and for who they become as literate people. Through language children learn how to become strategic thinkers.
This book highlights the many ways language helps children acquire literacy skills and view the world, their peers, and themselves in new ways.
(adapted from publisher's description) Available from Curriculum Corporation.

This resource provides guidance on assisting ESL students to develop their voice and skills within reading and writing workshops. It looks at the experiences of a group of ESL students in grades 3-6, who learn essential reading and writing skills and are full members of the classroom community. The authors emphasise the importance of talk - talking during science workshops, after read-aloud or when sharing an idea with a partner. When ESL students use language authentically, they become more adept speakers, readers and writers of English. This publication provides practical examples of diverse classrooms at work and relies on current theory on English language development throughout. (adapted from publisher's description)

More Practical Advice for Principals is an overview of how to get started as a principal, and contains practical strategies for dealing with common school problems. Snow addresses some areas not covered in his previous book, Practical Advice for Principals, such as dealing with special needs students and diversity. He also provides strategies for academic improvement and school safety. More Practical Advice for Principals is written by a principal for aspiring and practising principals.
(from publisher's description)

This resource is a compilation of education statistics, and is specifically aimed at the education community. It provides educators with the statistical knowledge and skills necessary in everyday classroom teaching, in running schools, and in professional development pursuits.
(from publisher's description)

Leading scholars and researchers in the field present their research on the education of an increasingly diverse student population. The fifth edition of this publication reflects current and emerging research, as well as concepts and debates about the education of students of both genders, and from different cultural, racial, ethnic, and language groups. It has been updated throughout. (adapted from publisher's description)

Information and Communication Technology resources in English schools are now at record levels, and the competence of school staff in ICT has risen dramatically since 1997, according to this new report. More than 90 per cent of teachers observed were competent in ICT. Effective application of ICT in lessons across subjects is increasing slowly but steadily. The impact of ICT on teaching was satisfactory or better in 77 per cent of the schools visited, a slight improvement since the last report. The quality of teaching in lessons where ICT is used has also improved, with 59 per cent of lessons rated good or better. However, the embedding of ICT in the curriculum is still only a reality in a small number of schools, with pupils' ICT experiences across the curriculum sporadic and teacher-dependent. Continuing professional development in ICT has also proved to be a cause of severe disappointment for schools and individual teachers.
(adapted from publisher's decription)

The National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) is changing assessment practice in senior secondary schools, in ways that potentially impact on schools' abilities to provide flexibility in subject choices for students with different learning needs. This longitudinal study seeks to establish whether, and how, the programmes of learning offered in senior secondary schools change in response to the new qualifications regime. (from publishers's description)

OECD analysts believe too little attention is being paid to the future direction that schools in developed nations should take. Only 2-3 per cent of education budgets is being spent on research and development. Networking and knowledge sharing is also weak, they say. This book analyses the social, economic, and educational trends of the 21st century. It also presents six possible scenarios for school systems over the next 10-20 years (discussed in the Times Educational Supplement). The analysis is completed by contributions from eight international experts, looking with different perspectives at the challenges facing schools today and tomorrow. This book is relevant to the many people - policy-makers and administrators, practitioners, researchers, parents and the wider public - concerned about the long-term development of education.

Current training programs in school leadership, operating in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America, are analysed and compared. Topics include: personal qualities in leadership; roles and responsibilities; purposes and performance; decision making; problem solving; conflict resolution; consensus building; and leadership development. Also available from DA Information Services.

It is estimated that about one in 11 children have a language learning difficulty, a problem that is not connected to socio-economic status or parental occupation. Divided into three parts, One in Eleven: Practical Strategies for Teaching Adolescents with a Language Learning Disability helps teachers identify students with a language learning disability; considers key issues that arise for students and outlines practical suggestions for use in the classroom; and examines taking the existing curriculum and changing it in ways that will allow students with a language learning disability to experience success at school.

Teaching at Risk: A Call to Action argues that the current school education system in the USA fails teachers and students. It argues, for example, that far too many students are taught maths and science by teachers who have not sufficiently demonstrated content knowledge in that area. The report notes that poor and minority students tend to get the least experienced or capable teachers. It also calls for greater rewards for the most effective teachers - those who lead, who successfully raise student achievement, and who have expertise in their subject matter. See publisher's description and commentary in the Seattle Times March 02, 2004.

Designed as a handbook for pre-service and beginning teachers, this text addresses general pedagogical issues in secondary school teaching. While examples are included from specific subject disciplines, the focus is on the concepts, skills and practices that they share. In secondary school general methods classes and student teaching seminars, preservice teachers are frequently preoccupied with two problems - classroom control and establishing the role of the teacher. These problems are compounded by methods texts that compartmentalise different aspects of teaching (theory, practice, critical analysis). Teaching To Learn, Learning to Teach provides an alternative. (adapted from publisher's description.) Also available from DA Information Services.

Beyond Diversity Day is a handbook for teachers, counsellors, administrators, policy makers, parents, and students who want to understand and affirm sexuality differences; promote and protect the well-being of all students; and reduce bigotry, self-hatred, and violence. In question-and-answer format, Arthur Lipkin offers advice on how to nurture positive relationships among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, their families, and the schools; how to welcome their families into the school community; how to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender educators; and how to incorporate appropriate curricula about these different identities across disciplines. (from publishers description)

A research brief from the U.S. Rural Poverty Research Center concludes that although poverty exists in both urban and rural areas, non-metropolitan residents are slightly more disadvantaged. Researchers Jane M. Mosley and Kathleen K. Miller also note that work and education are not as effective in moving people out of poverty in non-metropolitan areas.

A major report outlining Queensland's achievements since the Smart State vision was established in 1998. It details plans for further investment in knowledge industries and science education to generate real jobs, future opportunities and a better quality of life for all Queenslanders. The new investments outlined in this document will bring the total financial allocation by the Queensland Government to science, research and innovation, under the Smart State vision, to $2 billion. (from publisher's description)

The report presents the results of a survey showing that young people in the United States do not understand the ideals of citizenship, are disengaged from the political process, lack the knowledge necessary for effective self-government, and have limited appreciation of, and support for, American democracy. However, the report also provides new evidence that civic education makes a big difference in attitudes toward citizenship, knowledge and civic engagement of young people. The report is based on a national public opinion survey designed to gauge how the civic attitudes, knowledge and participation of young people - the DotNet generation between 15 and 26 years of age - compare to those of older generations. (adapted from the Executive Summary).

This is the Final Report of the Review of Teaching and Teacher Education. It is presented in three volumes. The Agenda for Action presents the Review Committee's main findings, conclusions and proposals. The Main Report presents the reasoning and evidence-based argument from a wide variety of sources that underpin the Agenda for Action. The Background Data and Analysis volume presents much of the data supporting the views formed during the course of the Review. Key issues include: the prioritisation of science, technology and mathematics education; and the teaching profession, including teacher pay, supply and retention, and training. See commentaries in The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.

This publication provides practical solutions for preventing and responding to bias, prejudice, harassment, and violence in our schools-with the aim of creating a climate of respect and civility. Drawing from his research and experiences with young victims, Stephen L. Wessler explains fundamental changes that every school should make to preserve a respectful learning environment. (adapted from publisher's description)

The book provides text and worksheets that enable teachers to identify and provide for gifted and talented students. The second edition has been updated with particular reference to strategies for differentiation, thinking skills and subject-specific enrichment.

This paper is a case study of Cherbourg State School in Queensland. Written by the school's first Aboriginal principal, the paper outlines a process of change that took place during 1999-2002. It discusses the implications of valuing Aboriginal perspectives about Aboriginal education. It also discusses the use of some very basic strategies for achieving some dramatic student outcomes. These include consolidating a school vision, creating high expectations, and valuing Indigenous staff and community members. Chris Sarra is Principal of Cherbourg State School and is currently enrolled in a PhD in Psychology at Murdoch University.

This resource has been developed to assist communities - organisations and individuals - in establishing partnerships to support career and transition services, and flexible education programs, in meeting the needs of young people on their education and employment pathways. The resource provides guidance on establishing these services, and information on the lessons learnt from the Career and Transition (CAT) and Partnership Outreach Education Models (POEM) Pilots.

How should education respond to the challenges of an increasingly mediated world? How can it enable young people to become active, critical participants in the media culture that surrounds them? And how can it keep pace with the complex technological, cultural and economic changes that are currently reshaping the contemporary media environment? These are some of the questions that arise in the area of media education - or media literacy - which is recognised as a key aspect of the school curriculum in many countries. This book takes account of recent changes both in the media and in young people's lives, and provides a set of principles on which the media curriculum can be based, and a rationale for pedagogic practice. It outlines a mechanism for media educators to respond to contemporary social, political and technological developments, and to the changing role and function of education itself. Available via DA Information Services.

Children, Families and Communities Second Edition examines the influences that can affect a child's development. These include the effects of personal characteristics including disability, ethnicity, and gender as well as contexts such as family, school, neighbourhood and state policies. This new edition has been revised and updated to include recent research in child care, material on refugees and asylum seekers, discussion of work-family issues, and treatment of the effects of the Stolen generation and other Australian interventions. With authors from a variety of fields, ranging from social work, developmental psychology and law, to sociology and social policy, the book provides an explanation of the factors that influence a child's development.

This Australian Government inquiry is the first major review of relations with Indonesia since 1993. It embraces the full range of Australia's bilateral relations with Indonesia, including political, strategic, economic, social and cultural links.
It argues that education is one of the keys to strengthening relations between Australia and Indonesia. The review committee made a number of recommendations aimed at reinvigorating academic interest in Indonesia.
Key recommendations include designating Indonesian studies a national priority, with appropriate funding for research and teaching, and restoration of the National Asian Languages and Studies in Australian Schools (NALSAS) program, or establishment of a similar program. (adapted from publisher's description)

Social and cultural perspectives on current theories of learning in early childhood education are presented in this publication. It sets out research-based evidence, linking theory and practice in early childhood settings. The book explores a traditional theme - the importance of the child's perspective and respect for each child's individual background. For Early Years educators, this resource is structured around the themes of learning and teaching, the nature of knowledge, assessment, and evaluation and quality. (adapted from publisher's descripition)

Research results are presented on the impact of social change on schools. The study documents the impact of factors such as family breakdown, mental illness and social health on the work of principals and teachers. Conducted in Victorian Catholic schools, the findings reflect welfare issues facing schools more broadly. The report presents results from a statewide school survey, and from a series of focus group meetings with principals. It is available on the CECV website - see under 'Research and Seminar Papers', then go to link titled 'Welfare Research Report 2004'.

A sourcebook drawing on classic texts, research papers and books in mathematics education. The first section covers views about how people learn - from Plato to Dewey - as well as constructivism, activity theory and French didactiques. The second part includes extracts concerned with initiating, sustaining, and bringing to a conclusion learners' work on mathematical tasks. For teachers and higher degree students.

This new report draws on data from 42 mostly developed nations, including Australia and New Zealand. It identifies student absenteeism and disaffection as widespread challenges for teachers and policy makers. While most 15 year-olds in these countries regularly attend classes and feel that school is somewhere they belong, the report reveals a low sense of belonging at school among an average of one in four students, with one in five admitting to being regularly absent. The report's findings emerge from further analysis of results obtained in the first Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study carried out between 2000 and 2001. (adapted from publisher's description). See tables.

This report discusses the results of a scoping study on parents' and community members' attitudes to schooling. The study was conducted by the Department of Education, Science and Training between May and June 2003. The survey collected responses from 1,500 community members and 1,359 parents of school age children. 'Discipline' and 'values' were the highest rated of the 'social factors' in school choice - well ahead of 'religion', 'prestige' and 'tradition' - while
quality of teaching was the single most important factor parents looked for when choosing a school. See Ministerial Media Release. See also commentary in The Age, 17 February 2004.

The Children's Partnership, based in the United States, examined a wide range of efforts to identify, sort, and/or create online information for different audiences, including teachers. This information was then used to build a set of 'starter guidelines' for finding and creating high-quality, low-barrier content for low income users. The Children's Partnership has developed a set of specific recommendations for narrowing the content gap over the next few years. See also review by imediaconnection.com.

The report of a new research project, part of the Economic and Social Research Council's E-Society Programme, focusing on the nature of children's Internet use in Britain. The report presents qualitative research findings, drawing on fourteen focus group sessions with children. Its findings cover the use of the Internet for learning and communication, the dangers of the Internet for children and inequality of access to online resources. It also contains recommendations for teachers, policy makers, parents, Internet service providers and children themselves. See also BBC report.

The report of a project funded by the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, under the Evaluation and Investigation Program (EIP), that was undertaken by members of the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Australian Catholic University. The investigation sought to determine how teacher educators' roles and responsibilities might change in response to the policy challenge of making lifelong learning a reality for all.

Advances in medical technology over the past two decades allow physicians and scientists to actually see how the brain functions while it is thinking or performing tasks. Educators are becoming privy to the biology of learning and therefore can discover which teaching practices actually maximize learning. Using actual lesson plans, teaching examples, and the latest research-based insights, this book explains: how to keep the attention of students for the whole class period; why involving students in decision making increases achievement; how to make lesson content more relevant to students' lives; and why to change instructional approaches depending on the time of day.

Building bridges was a unique project involving Indigenous preschool-aged children and their families from different regions of Australia. Seven families videotaped their child undertaking normal every day activities at home, in the community and in preschool. Each family then selected from hours and hours of video-tape those aspects of their child's life which best represented the significance of being an Aboriginal child in Australia today. The edited tapes were shared and discussed at a workshop, first with the other families, and then with a broader group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous early childhood professionals. (from AECA website)

This paper argues that living and working in the 21st century demands wisdom capabilities, and that schools should be the major sites for the development of these capabilities. However, in a 'risk society' (Beck, 1992), traditional understandings of wisdom as a quality that resides in certain individuals are no longer adequate. The paper suggests an alternative understanding of wisdom as a process, and then identifies the implication of this for educational leadership, pedagogy and school organisation.

Alan Reid, FACE is Professor of Education at the University of South Australia. In 2003 he is based in Canberra as the DEST national research fellow.

Key findings are presented from the National Survey of Secondary Schools carried out by New Zealand's NZCER in mid-2003. It is based on responses to a questionnaire by 95 principals in a range of school types and deciles, 744 teachers from a range of curriculum subjects, 180 school trustees, and 503 parents of students. The study found that students and teachers in high-decile schools, and in state integrated schools, generally have access to better resources, with more funding available to them. Parents of students in these schools are likely to spend more on their children's education, including after-school activities and tuition, and to be in better touch with teachers and trustees at the school. Students in these schools are likely to have better opportunities to learn because behaviour and discipline issues are less likely to be distractions, even though, where they attend bigger schools, they are likely to be in larger classes. Other issues covered include: school funding; school staffing and school size; assuring teacher quality; the difficulty in attracting suitably qualified teachers and relieving teachers, particularly in the core curriculum subjects; management of student behaviour; workload; NCEA implementation; morale of teachers and principals; teaching and assessing the curriculum; ICT; and teaching Maori, Pasifika and special needs students.

Annual Report of the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training. Chapter 3 covers the Department's specific involvement in school education. The Department's medium-term strategic priorities reflect the Australian Government's
agenda for school and Indigenous education. Priority areas for support are: improving the quality of teaching; improving the learning outcomes for all students; redressing the significant gaps between the educational outcomes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians; improving the educational outcomes for students with special needs; providing choice in education for all families; and encouraging and supporting effective partnerships between school and industry to
enable young Australians to acquire vocational, enterprise and career education,
as well as knowledge and experience, before they leave school.

This three-year study is the first comparative account, since the 1980s, of the major intervention projects against school bullying across Europe, North America and Australasia. It surveys a range of studies in 11 countries including Australia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Britain, Ireland and the United States. The study is co-authored by Dr Ken Rigby, associate professor in the School of Education, University of South Australia, and English and Canadian researchers Peter Smith and Debra Pepler. It presents evidence that most anti-bullying programs have had only modest success, and that no single approach, whether 'hard' or 'soft', stands out as particularly effective. However, it also argues that the most successful approaches are those thoroughly supported and implemented, with teachers tending to resist programs imposed on them without their input. It cites evidence of the central role of bystanders in counteracting schoolyard bullying, but also notes that programs successful in primary schools can't be readily implemented at the secondary level, where bullying is more ingrained, subtle and resistant to intervention by the teacher. See publisher's description. See also the commentary by Adrienne Jones in The Age: Education, 22 November 2004.

This book provides insights into daily life behind the wire of detention centres through real accounts. Desert Sorrow is an account of one man's experience, providing a positive contribution to a controversial chapter of Australian history. Tom Mann chose to uproot his safe and comfortable life to become an Education Officer at Woomera Detention Centre. The first part of the book focuses on Mann's observations interspersed with some testimonials in detainees' own words. In the second section of the book, Mann shifts the focus from personal account to policy analysis and social commentary on the issue of mandatory detention. (adapted from publisher's description) See also review in Educare News October 2003.

This publication presents project-based evidence suggesting that the application of formative assessment raises students' test scores. The significant improvement in the achievements of the students in this project confirms this concept, while providing teachers, teacher trainers, school heads and others leaders with ideas and advice for improving formative assessment in the classroom. Assessment for Learning is based on a two-year project involving thirty-six teachers in schools in Medway and Oxfordshire (UK). After a brief review of the research background and of the project itself, successive chapters describe the specific practices which teachers found fruitful, and the underlying ideas about learning that these developments illustrate. Also discussed are the problems that teachers encountered when implementing the new practices in their classroom. Guidance is given for school management to promote and support these changes. This book offers insights into assessment for learning, as teachers describe in their own words how they turned the ideas into practical action in their schools. Available via DA Information Services.

This book examines the growing impact of globalisation on education policy and development in the Asia-Pacific region. It analyses the reaction of selected societies and the strategies that their governments have adopted in response to the tidal wave of marketisation, corporatisation, commercialisation and privatisation. Particular attention is paid to educational restructuring in the context of globalisation. Topics include the politics of educational reform in Australia and democratic participation and self management in New Zealand. There are separate chapters on the impact of globalisation on education in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, and Cambodia. There are also overview sections titled 'Universal Welfare Entitlement to Private Investment' and 'Deep Development or Deep Divisions?' (see publisher's description). Also available via DA Information Services

This book focuses on 'curriculum as a shaping force'. The authors look at the consequences of the curriculum on the development of children's minds in primary and secondary education. They share a belief that schools are best suited for the development of the mind and, in doing so, enabling all students to get access to the fruits of cultural and scientific developments. It is acknowledged that curriculum is not only about elevated principles and about learning, but is a vehicle for gaining status by acquiring labels conferred by institutions. Students, teachers, parents, and the public are concerned about learning as well as the benefits of membership in institutional categories such as 'graduate', 'advanced placement student', 'honour roll student' or the like. The contributors to this collection recognise the need for a set of ideas and values in discussion of any curriculum matters, but they do not advocate a specific moral or political framework. Rather, they see a curriculum as a means 'to cultivate a habit of suspended judgment, of skepticism, of desire for evidence, of appeal to observation rather than sentiment, discussion rather than bias, inquiry rather than conventional idealisations'. (adapted from publisher's description)

The Government Schools Education Council is a body advising the ACT Minister for Education, Youth and Family Support on a range of educational issues in government schools. The School Performance Information paper reviews the case for publishing information on school results, and presents the Council's recommendations. The paper should be considered in conjunction with the Council's report on Review of Government Schools Reporting, which outlines a range of measures to improve reporting on student progress, school achievement and system outcomes. (adapted from publisher's description)

This book takes a practical approach to improving secondary science education with the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), while considering the broader educational issues that inform and underpin the approach. The material presented explores issues such as the selection of resources; lesson planning; the impact of ICT on classroom organization; and how ICT affects assessment.

With topics ranging from using the Internet in school science to handling and interpreting data, Teaching Secondary Science with ICT explores effective use of the ICT 'tools' available to teachers.

Targeted at those involved in science education, including trainee teachers, practising science teachers, and their tutors and mentor, it may provide support to school science department's internal professional development programme.
(adapted from publisher's description

Editors Hoy and Miskel have collected essays on topics including: the punctuated equilibrium of national reading policy: literacy's changing images and venues; productive campus leadership responses to accountability: principals as policy mediators; sources and consequences of organic management in elementary and secondary schools; and principals respond to the school environment with fluidity, alignment, vigilance, and fear. Also included are writings on the use of tacit knowledge in educational administration and transformational leadership and trust. (from publisher's description)

In its 2001 report, Footprints to the Future, the Prime Minister's Youth Pathways Action Plan Taskforce identified a range of concerns about career and transition services around Australia, and made a series of recommendations. In response, the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) established 23 Career and Transition (CAT) pilots, which gave communities the opportunity to explore appropriate models of career and transition service provision, within a flexible, action learning framework. This evaluation report, prepared by Miles Morgan Australia Pty Ltd, has found that the CAT Pilot has had a significant and immediate impact on a large number of students, on several school communities, and on many parents keen to support their children's career and transition development.

ANTA's second National Industry Skills Report puts a 'skilling lens' across the issues that Australia faces in the future. The report looks at the impact of baby boomer retirements on industry and markets, Australia and Asia, and job growth by sector. Topics include: skilling Australia; organisational change in a networked world; the future of vocational education and training; the employment push for skills; the impacts of staff turnover, looming retirements and the ageing Australian population; overseas markets; and factors affecting future industry skill needs.

In order to identify and effectively support a new cohort of school leaders, the NSW Department of Education and Training commissioned the Quality Development Unit of the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) to research effective approaches to school leaders' professional development. The data in this study has been drawn from a sample of 322 school principals, representative of the many distinctive operating contexts for government schools across New South Wales. The research indicates that productive learning requires workplace relevance; 'just-in-time' access to relevant resources and ideas; active not passive learning strategies; ongoing peer support and access to proven solutions to agreed improvement priorities; problem-based learning; and the use of practice as both a site and source for learning. (Adapted from the text).

Britain's Increased Flexibilities for 14-16 year olds Programme (IFP) was introduced in 2002, aiming to 'create enhanced vocational and work-related learning opportunities for 14-16 year olds of all abilities who can benefit most'. A total of 269 partnerships between schools and external providers were formed in the first year to achieve this aim. Each partnership has a 'Lead Partner', the majority of which are further education (FE) colleges and the funding to support them is channelled through the Local Learning and Skills Councils (LLSCs). The report is based on an analysis of the baseline surveys of Year 10 students, schools and colleges and training providers which were carried out by NFER in the spring term of 2003. The report notes the benefits of the program in terms of staff development, improved understanding of schools, additions to the curriculum, and increased student motivation.

Mathematical beliefs are considered from a variety of perspectives. The publication covers the conceptualisation and measurement of beliefs, and research on teachers' and students' beliefs about mathematics. A diversity of instruments are used for data collection, including surveys, interviews and observations, as well as other, more innovative approaches. While Beliefs: A Hidden Variable in Mathematics Education? is an important resource for mathematics researchers and educators, many of its themes have relevance beyond mathematics education. See publisher's description and contents page. Also available from DA Information Services.

A draft handbook for principals taking up their first principalship, prepared by Tasmania's Office for Curriculum, Leadership and Learning. Handbook for a Principal's First Appointment has been compiled by principal consultants and experienced principals over recent years. It has been updated to take into account feedback from new and acting principals in 2003. Topics include: leadership in transforming schools; school culture and organisation; policies and planning documents; school grounds, buildings and equipment; grievance procedures; emergencies; and principals' well-being.

Bob Johnston tells the story of the world's first laptop school, an independent girls' school in Melbourne, where laptops were made mandatory and how their example spread to thousands of other schools worldwide. Based on hundreds of interviews, Johnstone reveals how the school solved all the obstacles to laptop learning, and how it inspired the largest educational technology initiative in United States history, with the State of Maine issuing laptops to every seventh-grader in its public school system.

This report covers recent influences on Scotland's secondary school curriculum, and describes opportunities for increased flexibility and innovation in curriculum design. It outlines developments, during 2002/03, in a range of urban and rural schools of varying sizes throughout Scotland. This publication is the result of a collaborative project involving Learning and Teaching Scotland, and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education. See commentary in The Scotsman.

In the context of the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, with its commitment to base educational policy on established research findings, Paul Barton synthesizes a large body of research that identifies factors associated with educational attainment, and then looks at their relationship to differential performance by groups in the United States. Barton looks at what research has told us about the life and educational experiences associated with continual development and school achievement. He correlates evidence of educational achievement found so far, asking what we know about the differences in experience, on the average, among subgroups of the population, by race/ethnicity and some measure of income. For example, if low birthweight adversely affects cognitive development, is there a greater incidence of low birthweight in minority populations? If changing schools is frequently associated with achievement, in which population subgroups do children most frequently
do this? And if length of teachers' experience is associated with achievement, what are the differentials in experience for students in different population subgroups? Answering such questions may help in 'parsing the achievement gap'.

This edited collection contains contributions from some of the leading figures in educational leadership research, and will assist school leaders with strategic planning by alerting them to many of the emerging issues and trends in education. It deals with issues such as recruitment, assessment, high-stakes testing, teacher quality and technology.

This series centres around the various skills specified in the assessment objectives (AOs) for English courses in England. Focusing on the AOs most relevant to language, this books sets out to help students to develop their knowledge and abilities through analysis of texts and contemporary data. Included are accessible explanations, examples, exercises, a glossary of key terms, and suggested answers. Language and Social Contexts considers language within the social contexts in which it is used and understood; covers the key skills and topics, including social contexts, transcripts and the contexts of speech, language and age, language and gender and regional talk; and analyses a variety of spoken and written texts, from conversations and text messages to wedding invitations, road signs, police warnings and advertisements.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This book explores theoretical perspectives and practical possibilities in order to analyse the learning opportunities emerging in the transitional zones between educational institutions and workplaces. International contributors draw on a range of ideas developed within constructivistic, socio-cultural and activity theory, and focus on the processes of transition, transfer and boundary crossing as central to learning, especially in vocational and professional education contexts.
Topics covered include: transfer and transition in vocational education; knowledge propagation through social organisations; developing competence during practice periods; and learning in workplaces.

The level of enterprise expenditure on training in Australia appears to be growing, and now compares favourably with countries often held as models for national policy and practice. This report outlines a range of policy options employed internationally, including levies, leverage and partnership arrangements to enhance employer contributions to training. Ultimately, the authors find decisions about expenditure on training depend on employers' interests, values and commitments. If new policies are to be effective and build upon enterprises' commitment to training, it is critical they align with employers' needs. For government, a key strategic policy goal is to improve employers' perceptions of the value of training to increase levels of expenditure.
(adapted from publisher's description)

In 2002 the British Government mandated the integration of human rights into the Citizenship component of Britain's National Curriculum. The Handbook was written in response to that development. Chapters are organised around topics such as genocide, freedom of religion, the right to development, and children's rights. The Handbook critically examines the historical background in each case. For example, in relation to the issue of asylum, it notes that ordinary Jews fleeing Nazi persecution were banned from entry into Britain and the United States, while wealthy Jews were granted citizenship. It also extensively documents primary source material from the United Nations, offering a critical history and political context surrounding UN treaties, and noting the disingenuous appropriation of human rights rhetoric by some governments. (Adapted from book review in Harvard Educational Review Fall 2004. See also publisher's description.)

The series presents empirical studies, computational models, pedagogical scenarios, and conceptual frameworks. Scholars of education technology and related disciplines explore representational guidance for collaborative inquiry, argumentation as negotiation in electronic collaborative writing, designing external representations to support solving problems, and supporting argumentation in everyday and scientific issues.

Arguing to Learn focuses on how new pedagogical scenarios, task environments and communication tools within Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) environments can favour collaborative and productive confrontations of ideas, evidence, arguments and explanations, or arguing to learn.

All chapters present analyses of the processes by which the interactive confrontation of cognitions can lead to collaborative learning, on the basis of a wide variety of theoretical models, empirical data and Internet-based tools. Topics covered include: representational guidance for collaborative inquiry; constructive discussions through electronic dialogue; and using CMC to develop argumentation skills in children with a 'literacy deficit'.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Dividing Classes offers an ethnographic account of the relationship between social class structures and educational success. Instead of studying the historically marginalised lower classes, this book looks beyond the values of dominant groups to explain the reproduction of social class. Drawing on interviews with 31 administrators, principals, and teachers, and 20 middle class mothers in a small Indian town in which the author lives, Ellen Brantlinger discovers the power the middle class wields in determining school policy and practice to secure educational advantages for their children. With the insight gained from this perspective, the roots of increasingly conservative educational policy and the idea of class as an organising category in education are examined.

Topics covered include: class position, social life, and school outcomes; social class reproduction; and positions and outlooks of teachers at different schools.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Limitations and Possibilities of Dialogue examines the political dimension of efforts to connect the work of educational researchers, policymakers and practitioners. An international group of scholars, many of whom have also worked as policymakers and practitioners, provide cross-national comparisons that attempt to illuminate the challenges and opportunities for such efforts. Topics covered include: ideology in educational reform in the United States; reinventing research for educational reform; and dialogue between 'academic' and 'community' participatory researchers.

This book presents the concept of ethical knowledge, and how it may be used in schools. It combines empirical expressions of teachers' beliefs and practices, with a discussion of the connections between the moral dimensions of schooling and applied professional ethics in teaching. It illustrates the fact that ethical knowledge relies on the teacher's awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the demands of moral agency, and that ethical knowledge becomes compromised by moral dilemmas and complexities that routinely challenge teachers. Moral tensions may be eased by a renewed sense of teacher professionalism, renewed school cultures, and renewed teacher education and professional learning.

Topics include: the teacher as a moral educator; challenges to ethical professionalism; dilemmas in teaching; and 'collegial fear'.

The Ethical Teacher is aimed at teachers and teacher educators.
(adapted from publisher's description). Available via DA Information Services.

Key questions regarding social justice in education are explored in this book. Its central theme is how the education system, through its organisation and practices, is implicated in the realisation of just or unjust social outcomes. In particular, the writers examine the ways in which the identities of individuals and groups are formed and transformed in schools, colleges and universities. The book contains examples drawn from early years through to higher education. The theoretical debates on social justice are explored, including how the concept of social justice can be understood, and theoretical issues around social capital, and class and gender reproduction are examined. Also covered is the formation of learner identities focusing on how these are differentiated by class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and (dis)ability. (adapted from publisher's description)

Although most experts agree that mandatory testing leads to teaching to the test, they disagree about whether it leads to meaningless drill, wasted time, de-professionalising teachers, and demotivated students, or to more challenging and thoughtful curricula, more engaging teaching, increased student motivation, and increased accountability. To help sort through this debate, The Ambiguity of Teaching to the Test offers a study of the effects of testing, and examines how test preparation practices are influenced by what teachers know and the leadership in the school. Drawing on data from a three-year study of New Jersey's testing policy in primary mathematics and science, it explains the variety of ways that teachers modify their teaching in response to state tests. It offers guidance on how policymakers and school administrators can implement policies that will improve educational equity and performance for students. It also offers an analysis of classroom practices that should inform teachers and teacher educators. (adapted from publisher's description). Available via DA Information Services.

This book aims to provide a comprehensive guide to assessment issues, particularly for professionals who are coming to terms with the range of new pressures on traditional teaching practices. Changes such as increased use of ICT, flexible assessment methods and quality assurance all converge on the area of assessment, making new demands of assessors. The authors analyse the effectiveness of traditional methods, and provide suggestions for how these methods may be developed to suit modern learning and teaching practice. This book is a practical resource, with reflection boxes and diagnostic tools that encourage the reader to apply the principles to their own practice. Available via DA Information Services.

An international group of experts propose solutions to practical issues raised by newly emerging modes of assessment. Chapter titles include: The Era of Assessment Engineering: Changing Perspectives on Teaching and Learning and the Role of New Modes of Assessment; New Insights into Learning and Teaching and their Implications for Assessment; Evaluating the Consequential Validity of New Modes of Assessment: The Influence of Assessment on Learning, Including Pre-, Post-, and True Assessment Effects; Self and Peer Assessment in School and University: Reliability, Validity and Utility; A framework for Project-Based Assessment in Science Education; Evaluating the OverAll Test: Looking for Multiple Validity Measures; Assessment for Learning; Setting Standards in the Assessment of Complex Performances: The Optimized Extended-Response Standard Setting Method. (see also publisher's description)

Assessment is one of the most powerful tools in teaching, yet it is rarely measured in effort, time and effectiveness; instead, it is usually done alone and against the clock. This book aims to clarify the concepts and issues, which may make assessment difficult for teachers and students. It is designed to help practitioners who wish to improve their effectiveness in assessing a large and diverse range of students. The text may help teachers to: clarify their role in assessment; gain familiarity with the issues and terms surrounding assessment, and consider variations between disciplines; and compare and extend their current range of solutions to common problems. All areas covered include advice from practitioners.
(adapted from publisher's description). Available via DA Information Services.

There is increasing evidence that parent involvement increases test scores. Through case studies, the text identifies programs and strategies that are working, and uses the USA's National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Program as a guide. Callison favors raising standards where high levels of assistance are provided to staff, not the testing approach where students may be retained in a grade because of a single test score. The author also identifies how parents can become involved in programs seeking to help students in meaningful ways. This information is targeted at parents, teachers, and school leaders.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This book explores research on how people learn to read, specifically how they recognise, pronounce, and understand printed words. The text examines the normal process of learning to read but also highlights the problems that may underlie dyslexia, a condition in which people are unable to acquire a high degree of reading skill despite adequate intelligence and training. The editor notes that impairments in reading skill are often seen among children who have problems learning in school. Dyslexia is a brain-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person's ability to read. Although the disorder varies from person to person, common characteristics among people with dyslexia are difficulty with phonological processing (the manipulation of sounds) and/or rapid visual-verbal responding. This book contains an overview of dyslexia, as well as current abstracts of the literature which have been carefully selected and edited, and is a guide to other works in the field.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Performance Theories in Education presents a range of approaches to understanding how performance, as a theoretical and pragmatic lens, can be used to view the processes, procedures, and politics of education. The editors argue that performance and performativity help to locate and describe repetitive actions plotted within grids of power relationships and social norms inside education and schooling.

The book brings together performance studies and education researchers, teachers, and scholars to investigate such topics as: the relationship between performance and performativity in pedagogical practice; the nature and impact of performing identities in varying contexts; and cultural and community configurations of education and schooling.

With the aim of developing a clearer understanding of the effect, affect, and role of performance in education, the volume provides a starting point for discourse among theorists and teacher practitioners who are interested in understanding and acknowledging the politics of performance and the practices of performative social identities that intervene in education.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This book presents early childhood educators with a range of teaching techniques to support children's learning. It examines twenty-six teaching practices, ranging from describing and listening through to deconstruction and scaffolding. Each technique is defined and includes discussion on how, when, and why educators might use it. In support, the authors have explored current early childhood theory and practice, and discussed how this can impact on the relevance of the technique, as well as on developmental and equity considerations. Vignettes and examples show how early childhood educators use the techniques to support children's learning. The final chapter presents a strategic approach to selecting teaching techniques, and shows how educational philosophy links with choices about specific teaching methods.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Drama and English are key to creative teaching in primary schools. This book covers activities offering clear guidance on teaching techniques, including step-by-step guides, lesson plans and analysis. Issues of assessment and progression are also covered. The author has provided classroom examples of cross-curricular drama in learning areas such as science, ICT, religious education, the Arts and humanities, as well as discussion of practical issues such as inclusion, citizenship, and whole-school approaches. This handbook emphasises the role of drama within children's learning.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Promoting creativity can be a powerful way of engaging children in their learning. This book offers advice on how to develop children's capacity for creative thinking and achievement, use creativity to increase levels of motivation and self-esteem, and teach the creative skills pupils need for success in learning. Combining research with practical ideas and tasks, this book is for teachers, educators and students who wish to know more about creativity in teaching and learning.
(adapted from publisher's description)

How to Foster Creativity in All Children is designed for those who want to know more about creativity, creative children, creative teaching and creative activities in all areas of the curriculum. In a world of rapidly changing technology, it is seen as crucial to encourage and cherish creativity in all children. Creativity is not limited to the Arts; it extends to every curriculum area. The book focuses on creativity in all areas of the curriculum, with dozens of creative experiences related to art, movement, music, mathematics, science, social studies, food, and language. Both two- and three-dimensional activities are used, with each activity including goals, materials, preparation processes, and procedures. Activities appropriate for before- and after-school programs are also included. (adapted from publisher's description)

The Science Education of American Girls provides a comparative analysis of the science education of adolescent boys and girls, and analyses the evolution of girls' scientific interests through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Kim Tolley expands the understanding of the structural and cultural obstacles that emerged to transform what, in the early nineteenth century, was regarded as a "girl's subject". As the form and content of pre-college science education developed, Tolley argues, direct competition between the sexes increased. Subsequently, the cultural construction of science as a male subject limited access and opportunity for girls. Available from DA Information Services.

This book explores the relationship between professional development and teacher learning, providing insights into the roles of science teachers as learners and thinkers of change processes. It discusses the challenges teachers face in science teaching as leaders and learners of science education reform.

Covers a range of topics within Chemisty education, such as the history of Chemistry, models for learning and teaching, and research and development for the future of Chemical education.

The book is a survey of the best science education practices, with special emphasis on scientific research training. Its content provides assistance to teachers dealing with talented students, and to scientists and educators in the field of science education. Focusing on the need to recruit future generations to the field of scientific research, this resource summarises the best contributions from a workshop helping to further research training practices in Central-Eastern European countries. Adapted from (publishers description).

This resource reviews the theoretical foundations of constructivist learning theory, before introducing the reader to its various forms and strategies, and the place of information technology within them.

This discussion paper begins from the premise that students in the 21st century should 'create the communities in which they live and learn, rather than live on the margins of those they inherit'. Released in 2003, it looks at the transformative capacity of learning in a knowledge society. Its objective is to encourage thinking and debate on how teaching and learning can be more connected to a societal context, in order to make it more meaningful and transformative for individuals. The authors go beyond 'real world outcomes', and seek to embed learning in its wider social context, so as to give meaning to the ways individuals connect with their communities. They raise and deal with the implications this kind of learning will have for teacher professional development and school curriculum.

As the title suggest, this guide will be of interest to all apsiring educational leaders. It contains hints, strategies and tools for school principals to manage staff, their time and their immediate community. Based on the experiences of principals, this resource also contains tips on accepting the position, handling the first day and avoiding the most common mistakes.

INSET is an in-service teacher professional development provider in Britain. This publication is a collection of course materials on student behavioural management. Its aim is to assist teachers to bring about positive behaviour changes in students, and outlines the kinds of guidance, skills, strategies and supports teachers should have. The issues addressed by the publication include typical behaviours, class planning, staff support systems, behaviour contracts, learning styles, transition points, playground issues and the relationship between behaviour and learning.

This revised collection looks at how schools have become increasingly reliant on corporate funding, and what effects this reliance has on school cultures and curriculum. In this vein, it gauges the extent of direct corporate influence on the curriculum, and ponders the nature and purposes of education.

This work reviews the contribution of Christopher Hodgkinson to the area of educational administration and, in so doing, it examines the practice of educational administration in relation to moral philosophy, with particluar emphasis on the works of philosophers such as Aqinas, Kant, Dewey, Heidegger and Bourdieu.

Cooperative learning offers a different pedagogical approach to the traditional classroom. This edited collection helps teachers to employ cooperative learning approaches with their classes by introducing them to theories of group dynamics and providing practical examples of this educative approach. It addresses issues such as teacher-student interaction, helping students to become collaborative learners, student motivation, peer support and mediation, and assessment of group work.

MCEETYA's third biennial national report on teacher supply and demand investigates the main characteristics of the labour market for teachers in Australia. All States and Territories have contributed to this report, and, for the first time, the report includes the non-government school sector. The report looks at international examples of labour markets and recruitment policies employed, and analyses the long-term trends emerging in Australia's supply of teachers and the likelihood of future teacher shortages. (adapted from publisher's description).

An introduction to character education within the British context, exploring its meanings, understandings and rationale, through the perspective of a number of academic disciplines. The author examines character education from a philosophical, religious, psychological, political, social and economic perspective to offer a more detailed understanding of character education and what it can offer. He also considers what lessons can be drawn from the American experience. (adapted from publisher's description).

What is the relationship between health and learning vis-a-vis theory, research, and practice? The purpose of this book is to examine the critical, historical, and contemporary linkages between health and learning, to review the best practices, and to make resources available for practitioners. Walsh and Murphy review current and historical efforts to provide health services to school children and youth. A list of resources for professionals, parents, and school administrators is provided. From publisher's description.

Forming part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this research report examines changes in the levels of participation in the senior secondary years of schooling in Australia. Based on data gathered from a large sample of young people in Year 12 in 2001, the report documents the differences in Year 12 participation rates between males and females, according to socioeconomic and cultural background, and against earlier school achievement.

After more than half a century of court-directed efforts to redress the historical educational chasm between blacks and whites in the United States, both the past achievements and the future direction of school desegregation are uncertain. This book presents the viewpoints and research of some of the most prominent scholars in the field of school desegregation. It covers virtually the entire spectrum of thinking and scholarship on school desegregation and its promise, success, necessity, pitfalls and failures. (from publisher's description)

This book addresses young people's use of computers in the home, including how they are used, frequency of use and what role the computer plays in the day- to-day lives of families. Bringing together research from the perspectives of psychology, sociology, education and media studies, the authors ask whether we are really witnessing the rise of a new 'digital generation'. This book makes use of case studies, and highlights concerns around issues of equality and access in a wider social context. Available from DA Information Services.

Kathleen Cotton has reviewed thirty years of research in the area of educational leadership, and has distilled 26 key points which will assist principals in reforming schools to improve student achievement. This resource deals with different kinds of leadership strategies, the influence of the principal on the school, the role of the principal, the difference between male and female leadership, school culture, instruction, communication and accountability.

Working from the bases that educational leadership is crucial to student achievement, that leadership includes personal attributes and acquired knowledge, and that leadership evaluation is not an end in itself, this resource provides a system for evaluating leaders and leadership. As such it addresses personal evaluation, organisational performance and leadership best practice.

The authors describe how policy texts come about, how policy activists learn to become effective in influence and text production, how policy problems are constituted, and what happens in difference policy contexts. The book concludes with new theories, perspectives and possibilities. (adapted from publisher's description)

Controversial issues surrounding values education, or character education, are addressed by Ron Scapp from a broad, progressive and postmodern perspective. The book examines a range of topics, from multicultural education to the impact of postmodernism on contemporary pedagogy, and from power in the classroom to the question of masculinity.

Presenting a range of critical writing, this book deals with issues in values education, such as approaches to teaching values, teacher education and values, research for education in values and international comparative studies. First published in hardback in 2000, this resource now appears in paperback for the first time, with a new introduction which updates the main ideas and themes. Available via DA Information Services.

In 2002 the Department of Education, Science and Training funded a project to analyse the costs of delivery of the VET in Schools program. The project surveyed schools across Australia to obtain data on four broad categories of direct costs for schools and non-school organisations. This MCEETYA approved project, under the auspices of the Transition from School Taskforce, has allowed jurisdictions to work together to understand their similarities and differences, and to investigate options to achieve cost efficiencies, while maximising outcomes for students. The project provides a snapshot of the costs involved with VET in Schools. The data collected shows that final cost outcomes are a reflection of many influences, but the mode of delivery and the jurisdiction are significant. Full title: The Cost of VET in Schools: An analysis of the costs of delivering VET in Schools including an analysis of cost efficiencies More details.

This is a book for anyone interested in history, what it is and where it comes from. It confronts us with the many histories that exist and have existed around the world, from the Zulu kingdoms to Communist China, and considers the extent to which they are distorted to indoctrinate children. Out of print for over a decade, the book has been extensively revised with a new preface by the author.

Current and historical concepts of Australian nationalism are examined by Robert Manne, Ann Curthoys and a range of other contributors. The concept of White Australia continues to permeate the way Australians think of citizenship or civic nationhood. According to Laksiri Jayasuriya, 'biological racism' has been replaced by 'cultural racism', and the Tampa crisis has redefined Australians' sense of who they are and where they are heading. See the review in the August/September Education Review (supplement to Campus Review).

Silicon Literacies unravels the key features of the new communication order to explore the social, cultural and educational impact of silicon literacy practices. Written by leading international scholars from a range of disciplines, the essays in this collection examine the implications of text produced on a keyboard, visible on a screen and transmitted through a global network of computers. The book covers topics as diverse as role-playing in computer games, the use of graphic symbols in on-screen texts and Internet degree programmes to reveal that being literate is to do with understanding how different modalities combine to create meaning.
Recognising that reading and writing are only part of what people have to learn to be literate, the contributors enhance our understanding of the ways in which the use of new technologies influence, shape and sometimes transform literacy practices.

This book about valuation processes in educational administration has a particular focus on the notions of community and professionalism. The volume brings together the work of some of the best-known and most respected philosophers, theorists and researchers working in this field. It will be relevant to researchers, and educational administrators working in schools and senior departmental roles. (adapted from publisher's description)

Until recently the separation of pupils according to religion was felt to be compatible with a comprehensive education. That consensus no longer holds, and there is a strong, positive lobby either to abandon 'faith schools' within the state system, or at least to dilute their membership, ensuring they include children from other faiths or no faith. This book is intended to address the current concerns, questions and interest surrounding the legitimacy, support and intended expansion of faith schools. Divided into five sections, the book includes chapters on the legal frameworks for faith schools; the rights of the child; faith-based schools in Britain, Northern Ireland, France and the USA; the impact of faith schools on pupil performance; political and research issues; and the relationship of religious education, faith schools and citizenship.

Research into teaching practices undertaken for the New South Wales Professional Support and Curriculum Directorate (PSCD) has identified three key elements in quality teaching, which are documented in this discussion paper. Intellectual quality refers to pedagogy focused on producing deep understanding of concepts, skills and ideas. Quality learning environment relates to teachers' ability to create a classroom conducive to learning, which includes developing positive relations amongst students and between students and staff. Significance refers to pedagogy that makes learning meaningul through links to students' prior knowledge and identities, including cultural background. The Directorate will use the paper in preparing resources for teachers. See also review by PSCD Director Robert Randall in Scan, 3 August 2003.

Focussing on teaching in secondary and tertiary science classrooms in the USA, this working model aims to help secondary and tertiary science faculties examine and redefine their roles in the classroom. It will also help to define a framework for thinking about active learning, and for the creation of an active learning environment. It will provide the assistance needed to build successful active learning environments in their classrooms. (available from DA Information Services)

For Australia to develop as a highly successful knowledge-based economy and society, it needs to raise the scientific literacy of its citizens, train students to become world class scientists and innovators, and support the development of a new generation of excellent teachers of science, technology and mathematics. Topics in this Interim Report include teacher recruitment strategies, teacher education, induction, professional standards, career pathways, and school leadership roles.

The Commonwealth is undertaking a Review of Teaching and Teacher Education in consultation with State and Territory governments, with a particular emphasis on science, technology and mathematics, in order to identify the skills and support needed by teachers to build a culture of continuous innovation at all levels of schooling in Australia. The second phase of the Review, discussed in this paper, focuses on developing an innovation action plan for the school sector. This Discussion Paper is intended to stimulate comment on the development of an innovative capacity in students and a culture of innovation in schools.

New Zealand's National Education Monitoring Assessment (NEMP) 2002 reports provide a snapshot of what Year 4 (ages 8-9) and Year 8 (ages 12-13) students can do. The reports cover the areas of Listening and Viewing, Health and Physical Education, and Writing. They show that primary school student assessment results in Listening and Viewing, and in Health and Physical Education, have been maintained during the period 1998-2002. See media release.

This book looks at the extent of Internet use by Australians at home and in the workplace, and also investigates the regulatory and censorship concerns over children's access to pornography and the use of online filters. In addition it considers online gambling, data and personal privacy, hacking and other e-crime, and chat and pornography addiction. It includes reports from the National Office for the Information Economy, the Australian Broadcasting Authority and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with updated information available from the websites listed in the back of the book. (adapted from publisher's description)

This book is based on the premise that students who develop thinking strategies which complement their specific needs are better learners in school and in life. It answers questions confronting teachers as they implement new curriculum initiatives and promote thinking in the core subject areas: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and Mathematics. Based on extensive classroom testing, this book provides teachers with practical ways to help students analyse tasks thoughtfully, consider options, monitor the effectiveness of their choices, set goals for future learning, and achieve better results on performance tests. (adapted from publisher's description)

Commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training, this report aims to improve the preparation and support of beginning teachers in Australia in their transition from initial training to teaching in schools. The report also contains recommendations for possible national projects. More details.

This book sets out the agenda for the future of modern language teaching in schools. It aims to look beyond the dominant methods of second language teaching to a new approach emphasising the integration of language learning within the wider curriculum. Through research and case studies from the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Finland, this publication shows how teachers and policy makers are increasingly moving towards a system where second languages are taught through other curriculum subjects, rather than alongside them. (from publisher's description)

This book provides clear guidelines on hiring the right teachers and focusing their professional development. The guidelines assist in discovering which teacher preparation factors are most influential in affecting student achievement, including educational coursework, ability test scores, certification and content knowledge.

The purpose of this newsletter is to encourage participation and discussion within the Australian education and training sector about the development and use of technical standards, specifications and application profiles, which support interoperability in the use of online content and learning activities in education and training. The newsletter is available free via email (send an empty email to mailto:join-standards-announce@edna.edu.au).

Within the United Kingdom, questions about the relevance of educational research and its relationship to policy have recently been the centre of a prolonged public debate. The chapters in this book illustrate the ability of ethnographic work to assist in understanding the effects of educational policies and how they gradually influence the policy discourse.

This publication helps the reader to examine their school’s social and emotional climate, and to create a goal-oriented environment that supports learning and achievement. The authors spell out a nine-step problem-solving approach that addresses the obstacles administrators can face when initiating and maintaining a reform program. Key steps include: assessing your school's potential for change; identifying problems; setting goals; planning prescriptively; learning constantly; and looking to the future. (adapted from publisher's description)

This new edition of The Literacy Centre provides guidance for teachers in setting up literacy-rich classrooms that support guided reading or other small-group teaching. It is supported by Dr. Morrow's extensive research in motivation theory and exemplary instruction. The first section gives the research background and rationale for using literacy centers and provides tools for their design and use, along with hints on how to motivate students. The second section provides activities for modeling literature to interest children in reading in social collaborative settings, designed to foster the development of comprehension skills and strategies through the use of children's literature. The book gives equal time to the development of word study skills, such as phonemic awareness and phonics, with manipulative materials to ensure fluent reading.

The Australian Journal of Emerging Technologies and Society (AJETS) is a multi-disciplinary web-based journal, focusing on the relationship between science and technology and their wider socio-cultural contexts. It is designed as a forum for informed discussion and debate about the role of technology in society, drawing on a variety of viewpoints from all branches of the social and behavioural sciences and humanities. AJETS will be published three times a year, beginning in October 2003.

The Review describes the number of schools and students who are undertaking VET in Schools Programs, the types of industries in which they are involved and the Department of Education's performance against the agreed vocational education and training principles and guidelines.

All curriculum statements for languages contain strong references to the importance of culture. But the practical problems of how to teach culture effectively, how to teach it specifically for a language, and how to teach it in a way that does not lead to stereotyping remain. This publication contains a discussion of what researchers and classroom teachers think and do about culture in language education. (from publisher's description)

Workplace communication is a research report produced by the ALNARC Tasmania and investigates the effectiveness of training packages in the workplace, particularly in relation to literacy and numeracy components. It examines how those with lower level literacy and numeracy skills are dealing with training packages so that literacy and numeracy levels can be maintained. The book has case studies of programs which provide good examples of the experience of organisations in delivering training packages. Through the studies the contributors have described workplace assessment, recognition of competency standards, introducing and integrating training packages into enterprises and inclusion of literacy and numeracy training in vocational training. The case studies provide the basis of a framework for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the literacy, language and numeracy components of the training packages in the final chapter. (from publisher's description)

The benefits and uses of assessment are still very much open to conjecture. This resource demonstrates some of the practical outcomes in using assessment as a tool for measuring and informing learning, as opposed to accountability and achievement. It contains lesson plans and a discussion on the changing role of schooling.

Helping students to engage in philosophical inquiry assists them in becoming critical thinkers, and equips them with moral and ethical values. This publication aims to help teachers introduce philosophical approaches in their classrooms, and in so doing, help create 'communities of inquiry' across the curriculum.

Educational and social researchers from New Zealand, North America and Britain reflect on the methodology which underpins their work. They consider philosophical, critical, sociological and cultural approaches in educational and social research, in an attempt to clarify the use of research methodology for practitioners.

This text provides readers with an introduction to middle school teaching, and includes coverage of middle school philosophy, middle school curriculum, pre-adolescent and adolescent development, classroom management, teaming, planning, co-operative learning and assessment, in addition to chapters on teaching specific subject areas.

This publication explores techniques, programs and methods from around the globe in selected areas of educational research, in the belief that many are applicable across political jurisdictions. (adapted from publisher's description)

Training.com.au is an initiative designed to facilitate the discovery and accessibility of information about the Vocational Education and Training sector in Australia. It includes a VET in schools section containing a system-based directory of schools-related resources and contacts.

This professional development resource for teacher educators will help preservice and in-service teachers learn about cultural differences, and understand ways of bridging the expectations of school settings with those of the home. (adapted from publisher's description)

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released Financial Literacy in Schools, a discussion paper that examines financial literacy teaching in Australian secondary schools and presents options for improvement. Financial literacy is the ability to make informed judgments and to take effective decisions regarding the use and management of money. Financial Literacy in Schools looks at how we can strengthen the emphasis given to financial literacy in the curriculum, provide teachers with appropriate training, and provide stimulating educational resources that deal with issues of interest to students and are linked to the curriculum. Given the problem of crowded curriculum, ASIC proposes strengthening financial literacy teaching within existing curricula and key learning areas - for example, in Studies of Society and Environment or Mathematics, as part of life skills cross-curricula outcomes, or as part of the transition from school program. (adapted from ASIC press release)

Distinguished educator and author Carl D. Glickman explains how leaders can get their entire faculty focused on continuous improvement and committed to advancing student learning. He suggests means to assist teachers through clinical supervision, peer coaching, critical friends and action research groups. He also discusses how to observe the teaching and learning process by using teaching frameworks, open-ended questionnaires, samples of student work and test scores. Ways to work with teachers are also discussed, with directive, collaborative and non-directive approaches covered. Realistic scenarios describe how to succeed with teachers of diverse backgrounds and skill levels. Checklists, forms and examples make it easy to adapt the book’s successful approaches to particular situations. (adapted from publisher's description)

This resource is an edited collection of essays from 29 countries on the current state of curriculum research and development around the world. As such, it is intended as a contribution to the internationalisation of this burgeoning field.

This publication examines the philosophy of high-stakes testing and the impact it has on students, teachers and learning. It asserts that high-stakes testing, with its emphasis on memorisation, may lead to the extinction or devaluing of non-tested subjects, that it impacts unfairly on minority students and those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, and that it creates dependence and decreases students' self-motivation.

Gee leads the reader to an understanding of the cognitive value of video games. He is interested in how the 'player' is able to create identities, evaluate commands and develop perceptions, as they make decisions and solve problems within the scenarios presented in video games.

This booklet clarifies the directions in which schools should be moving with ICT and e-learning, and the outcomes they should be seeking. It describes the British Government's current plans to integrate ICT into the learning process for all schools. (See the publisher's description.)

This book provides leadership strategies and practices needed to maximise students’ literacy achievement. The authors describe a fail-safe literacy system that includes: analysing the strengths of your current approach and setting high expectations; finding the hidden sources of information that reveal whether students are developing literacy behaviours; identifying where to adjust your current curriculum and instruction; and planning literacy-focused professional development for continuous improvement. (adapted from publisher's description)

Written by leading experts on the topic, this guide offers a calendar (to structure your program), sample activities and verbal tools that promote teacher reflection. Self-assessment rubrics, ready-made worksheets and portfolio forms are included. This revised edition contains new planning and problem solving templates, and additional materials on coaching, collaborating and consulting with novice teachers. (adapted from publisher's description)

The present study continues the work of PISA in evaluating student performance within the economically developed countries making up the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The study presents evidence on student performance in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy.
Australia ranks near the top of economically developed countries in terms of overall student achievement. However, students' results are more closely tied to their social background in Australia compared to the OECD average. See also the interview with Professor Barry McGaw, OECD Director for Education, in Inform.

Using detailed case studies and extensive research evidence, this updated third edition explains: how to identify needs for staff development and determine content; what roles teachers and administrators play in evaluating staff development needs; which skills, understandings, and characteristics help teachers learn new practices; how to monitor the implementation of new teaching practices and evaluate their impact on student learning; and what type of leadership practices ensure that staff development efforts succeed. (adapted from publisher's description)

Chris Stewart explores the use of curriculum mapping as a tool for communicating the content, skills, and assessments that guide instruction for all children, in all classrooms, at all grade levels and in all courses. This taped session, from the 2002 ASCD Conference on Teaching and Learning: Increasing Student Achievement, is a response to the increasing amount of content and skills that must be taught. (adapted from publisher's description)

This booklet analyses and discusses the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy: Joint policy statement. While the author acknowledges that it assists in the development of Indigenous education, he believes the statement raises the dilemma of maintaining cultural identity whilst producing equal outcomes. The booklet looks at how these 'tensions' are reflected in practice in the schools attended by Indigenous children, and how a new theoretical framework can lead to a relationship of equality with non-Indigenous peoples. (adapted from publisher's description)

This publication invites teachers to bring classroom practice into alignment with some of the recent discoveries in neuroscience. The latter have shone new light on the pathways of the brain which assist with learning and processing information. By making teachers aware of the some of the strategies which activate these neurological pathways, this publication hopes to make a stronger link between teaching practice and neurological research.

This publication shows school leaders how improving team planning, teaching practices and school organisation can have a positive effect on student learning. Self-assessment rubrics at the end of each chapter will help the reader gauge their progress in promoting student achievement.

This publication offers some useful non-confrontational strategies to managing group dynamics in staff. Principals and others in leadership positions will find hints on how to defuse situations, how to win over the 'nay sayers' and how to motivate and encourage the less confident members of staff.

Education Matters is a new newspaper published for parents and the public in Western Australia. Replacing School Matters Parent Edition, the semi-annual periodical will showcase modern schools, the ethos of new millenium schooling, leadership, student achievements, and some of the successes of public schooling in the state. For more information see the report in School Matters, 9 May 2003, or tel: 08 9264-4990.

The work of leaders will increasingly be shaped by three overriding but contradictory themes: design; distribution; and disengagement. These are the 'architecture' of school and educational leadership. Designer–leadership is the use of mandatory standards of assessment and accreditation for school leaders, such as the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) in the United Kingdom and the (Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards in the United States. Distributed patterns of leadership have developed in response to the intensification of school leaders' work under policy regimes of site-based and school self-management. Disengagement describes a culture of abstention, in which school systems anticipate leadership succession problems, such as projected shortages and recurring recruitment difficulties. (from the publisher's description)

Backed by the latest research and supported by real-life stories of students, the authors explain why non-compliant students are becoming more prevalent and what teachers can do to minimise their impact on the learning environment. To help get at the root causes of defiance, the authors also describe how schools can provide parent training and comprehensive treatment programs that better prepare these students for the school environment. (from the publisher's description)

This publication offers administrators the background they need to know about effective strategies for encouraging the development of more literate students. It shows administrators how to evaluate and support successful literacy initiatives in their schools and create more successful learners. It suggests that literacy initiatives and programs are most effective when principals encourage teachers, and the whole school community, to embrace literacy education. Based in the 'real' classroom, the publication includes profiles of principals who have been successful in affecting their school's literacy environment. (adapted from the publisher's description).

If nothing else, this resource reminds principals of the wide-ranging nature of their work, and the combination of skills and attributes that they bring to the position. Among other things, it deals with the principal in their various roles as communicator, educator, facilitator, activator, producer, contributor and culture builder.

In his studies of early childhood, high school and university classrooms in Silicon Valley, Larry Cuban found that students and teachers use the new technologies far less in the classroom than they do at home, and that teachers who use computers for instruction do so infrequently and unimaginatively. Cuban points out that historical and organisational economic contexts influence how teachers use technical innovations. Computers can be useful when teachers sufficiently understand the technology themselves, believe it will enhance learning and have the power to shape their own curricula. But these conditions can't be met without a broader and deeper commitment to public education beyond preparing workers. More attention, Cuban says, needs to be paid to the civic and social goals of schooling; goals that make the question of how many computers are in classrooms trivial. (from the publisher's description)

Snapshots focuses on new ideas, programs, policies and practices being trialed or fully implemented in secondary schools. Papers cover innovations in schools all around the world, offering schools the opportunity to showcase the work of their staff and to share practical ideas on what works best to improve student outcomes. Selected articles are available online.

This edited collection examines the concept of school leadership from an international perspective, taking in various models of leadership (democratic, functionalist, centralised, devolved) and issues to do with leadership development and practice.

Using accounts from teachers and anchoring the teaching tradition philosophically and historically, the author of this publication attempts to elevate the profession as a distinctive and essential part of society, aspects which allow it to transcend its highly politicised existence.

Issues such as war, race, the motivations of private corporations etc are easier to sidestep than raise in a classroom environment. This resource offers practical assistance to teachers on how to broach controversial issues with their classes in constructive and engaging ways.

As in other countries, the United States is currently coming to grips with a drastic shortage of teachers. This publication is a contribution to the debate about why so many teachers leave the profession and how to retain the best of them. With regard to the former, it argues that recruits are often under-prepared and do not receive adequate mentoring or support once appointed. With regard to retaining teachers, the authors argue that affording the profession more prestige, by creating a clear 'career ladder' that values excellence and ambition, will keep the most motivated and academically oriented in the job.

Taking into account the history of women's education, research on single-sex education and findings on educational achievement and performance, this publication makes the argument for single-sex schooling as a positive and acceptable schooling option.

An exploration of the challenges of helping second language learners keep up in the classroom. It identifies why understanding the differences between additive and subtractive bilingualism is critical; which qualities to look for in a good bilingual teacher; how primary language instruction supports academic success; why the term immersion is commonly misunderstood and misused; and what bilingual program models are commonly used. (from publisher's description

This resource shows how to use the theory of multiple intelligences to help children become more effective readers and writers by connecting words to images, feelings, logic, physical expression, music, social interaction, oral language, and nature. It provides hundreds of ideas, strategies, tips and resources for teaching everything from grammar and spelling to word decoding and reading comprehension.

Issues covered by the authors include: the four most critical needs of new teachers; seven steps for structuring an induction program; seven essential components of induction programs; program descriptions, budgets, and results of three exemplary induction programs; plus contact information for more than 30 other successful programs.

Based on interviews with parents and children, and drawing on sociological theories of class formation and mobilisation, this work examines how social advantage is cultivated and maintained through education.

This resource provides advice on how to effectively conduct leadership teams in ways that acknowledge the feelings and emotions of people, and recognise the values of the organisation. As such, it deals with issues of how to develop leadership, dispersed leadership and managing people within organisational structures.

This edited collection looks at strategic leadership in relation to organsational change, managing internal and external demands and finding a balance between autonomy and accountability. It also suggests that strategic planning needs to be the responsibility of all staff and not just senior managers.

With the use of a case study school, this work looks at the variety of factors which lead to student underachievement in education. Issues such as poverty, gender, ethnicity, social class and family are addressed, and the role of education policy making in ameliorating social disadvantage is examined.

This book explores the principles of 'critical pedagogy' developed by educational theorist Paolo Freire. Darder takes up Freire's call to look at teaching in its social and historical context, considering, for example, the impact of globalisation and neo-liberalism on current teaching. In the final chapter, eight teachers describe the ways in which they have used Freire's ideas to engage students and improve teaching outcomes, for example by raising political and social issues relevant to students' lives, and by asking students to address those issues through course work that draws on and develops their skills and knowledge in various areas of the curriculum. See the review in Harvard Educational Review Spring 2003 and the publisher's description.

The authors of this publication make the claim that there is a degree of discordance between decision making theory and decision making practice. They assert that most problems are solved intuitively and not through lengthy analysis. Their work provides a foundation for principals to be more confident about making intuitive decisions, and will give them a greater grasp of how intuition works.

This publication provides practical advice to school principals on the day-to-day issues that they face. It includes advice and strategies on academic development, school safety and discipline.

Fourth in the Focus on Literacy series, this new publication will be used to assist K-12 students to communicate in different ways, depending on their purpose and audience. See review in Scan (Professional Support and Curriculum Directorate, NSW) May 2003, and the table of contents and context information from the publisher.

Based on the accounts of school principals, this resource helps school leaders to recognise and manage stress before it envelopes their professional and personal lives. It discusses issues such as time management, capitalising on work stress, career renewal and the nature of stress.

This resource provides strategies and techniques for more effective classroom management. Based on recent research, it makes the claim that more effective classroom management approaches are strategic and are aimed towards long-term changes in behaviour.

This collection of essays looks at 'what works' in producing quality teachers and quality teaching practices. It begins with the premise that good teachers are important to student learning, and then looks at the roles played by certification, accountability systems and standards in helping to produce good teachers.

This edited collection deals with many of the issues that school leaders have to face. Intended as a resource for postgraduate students, there is, nevertheless, much that is relevant to practitioners. Topics traversed include: leadership and strategic management, human resource management, managing finance and resources, and managing quality in education.

This publication looks at the circumstances of casual relief teachers in Britain and outlines the necessary skills and support required for their work. It also canvasses the possibility of casual relief teachers having a professional status commensurate with the professional role they perform.

This guide for mentor teachers describes how to provide direct assistance, demonstration teaching, observation and feedback, informal contact and role modelling. (See also publisher's description).

This leading introduction to gifted and talented children retains the proven parts of its original structure and combines it with the knowledge and best practices from a variety of sources. It incorporates knowledge from many disciplines and integrates best practices from classrooms to inform parents and teachers of how to work with children who grow up gifted and bring their gifts to the world. The author encourages readers to understand intelligence in order to help more children realise the unique potential of their gifts and talents. (from the publisher's description)

As the name suggests, this novel publication is a progressive online composition of submissions on the subject of Gifted and Talented Education. Refereed by members of the TalentEd Editorial Advisory Board, submissions are welcomed from educators, parents and students. The current content includes: G Smith. Eminence, elites and equity: implementing the Night of the Notables Program for whole cohorts – J J Watters and C M Diezmann. Challenging the young gifted child in science and mathematics: an enrichment strategy – D Valich. A mentor/buddy program for the gifted – P Lee. An enrichment activity: the electric car project – J Flack. Celebrating classroom museums – P Tilsey. The use of tests and test data in identification or recognition of high ability – T Delchau. The P.L.A.C.E. of a teacher: five considerations for teachers of young gifted children in a mixed ability classroom – The actual and the ideal: a parent's view – J Landvogt, G Leder and C Abbott. Experiences of learning and teaching in an accelerated program: the view from within.

Winner of the 1992 National Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award and a primary school teacher in a poor section of Los Angeles, Rafe Esquith outlines his successful teaching methods. See the review in the Times Educational Supplement (TES).

The framework for teaching described in this book is based on the PRAXIS III: Classroom Performance Assessments criteria, developed by the Educational Testing Service in the USA. This framework identifies those aspects of a teacher's responsibilities that have been documented through empirical studies and theoretical research as promoting improved student learning. Those responsibilities seek to define what teachers should know and be able to do in the exercise of their profession. (from the publisher's website).

Many parents search for a 'good' school in which to enrol their children. They look at the school's standardised test scores and check out demographic statistics, but fail to investigate the strengths of these schools that have a vibrant mix of races and cultures. Eileen Gale Kugler offers a unique perspective on what every educator, parent, and community leader should know about reaping the rich harvest of our diverse schools. This book provides guidance on how we can all work together to dispel the myths and nurture the opportunities that these schools offer such as academic challenge and social advantages. (from the publisher's website). Available via DA Information Services.

Statistics Made Simple presents statistics in a simple, practical, conceptual and immediately applicable manner. It enables administrators to take their data and convert it into strategic information so the results can be used for action plans that benefit the school system. (from the
publisher's website)

Drawing on extensive research that synthesises insights, perspectives, and findings from international studies, this comprehensive work is a valuable resource for students of education and developmental psychology, graduates, classroom teachers, literacy experts and academics, and other professionals from across the educational community. (from the publisher's website) See also the review by Karen Dooley in Practically Primary February 2003.

This book is a critique of the process by which official Government policy on how to teach reading was reached in the United States. For more details see the publisher's description of the work, and also the review in the Times Education Supplement.

A practical guide to the use of videoconferencing in the classroom, including British case studies that detail the aims, preparation, conduct of sessions and curriculum outcomes, with ideas for further development.

School leaders can harness the purposes, traditions and values of the school community to guide the reform process. The book suggests antidotes to negativity coming from teachers, principals or parents, and illustrates exemplary practice in different school cultures. Available via DA Information Services.

First language acquisition takes a comprehensive look at where and when children acquire a first language. It integrates social and cognitive approaches to how children analyse, understand and produce sounds, words and sentences as they learn to use language to cooperate and achieve goals. The publication takes a usage-based approach in considering what children learn. It emphasises pragmatic factors in language use, and includes research on word-formation, bilingualism and dialect-choice. (from the publisher's website)

An overview of recent research literature on science teaching. Topics include children's learning in science and the constructivist viewpoint, the role of children's cognitive development, context-based approaches, ICT and school science, the role of language, gender issues and assessment. Available via DA Information Services.

The report of an Inquiry which was commissioned by the ACT Government to investigate the needs and resourcing of both government and non-government schools in the ACT, and to propose alternative funding arrangements which would be financially viable into the future. See also the Curriculum Leadership abstract of an article from ACT Teacher on this report.

First report from a government project that is tracking all 2001Year 10 Tasmanian school students from Government, Catholic and Independent schools, until the equivalent of Year 12 completion at the end of 2003. It is part of the Learning Together vision for education, training and information into the 21st century.

In this publication, the theory, impact and methodology of service-learning are considered in terms of K–12 education, teacher education, and higher education. For more information see the description provided by the United States' National Service-Learning Clearinghouse.

Undemocratic schooling seeks to explain the link between socio-economic status and educational outcomes in Australia. It looks at issues of social class, gender, the evolution of the curriculum, retention rates and the destination of students. An extract from this publication has been published in the Education Age, an abstract of which appears in this edition of Curriculum Leadership.

Members of the ChiLPA Project explore children's literature from a range of cultures and periods ranging from ancient India to twentieth-century Australia, Britain, United States and Scandinavia. The book covers the form and content of children's literature as well as its social and educational functions. Available via DA Information Services.

Grounded in experience and research, this book describes effective strategies for use of ICT in the history classroom. Case studies and examples are included. Available via DA Information Services.

This publication provides case studies of small-scale classroom research in mathematics education, and brings together the work of researchers and independent critiques of research methodology. Available via DA Information Services.

This study is based on interviews with students about the role schooling has had in their lives. It attempts to give voice to student perspectives on the quality of the curriculum, the relevance of their learning, the impact of schooling on their 'world view' and the centrality of school in their experiences of the world beyond school. This publication is intended as a critique of current practices and, as such, it highlights the divergent views held by those who design and run education systems and the students who are supposed to benefit from these practices.

I get by with a little help ... is based on a longitudinal study of colleague support and its effects on school cultures. It draws on wide ranging research and experience with schools in Australia and overseas, and reflects what teachers know, believe and practise regarding colleague support in schools. (from the publisher's website)

Two samples of the recipients of teaching awards were surveyed in 2002. The first comprised educators from early childhood, primary and secondary schools, TAFE colleges and universities who had received NSW Quality Teaching Awards in 2001. The second sample comprised educators from primary to university sectors in the USA, who had received a variety of awards for exemplary teaching over several decades. The parallel studies revealed both intended and unintended outcomes arising from receipt of an award for exemplary or outstanding teaching practice. (from the publisher's website)

Working from the premise that educational research findings have relevance across political borders, the Progress in Education Series reports on the results of educational research being conducted around the world.

Designed for use in teacher professional development activities, Global Perspectives: A Statement on Global Education for Australian Schools is a concise, practical and philosophical guide to the principles, values and concerns of global education.

As the name suggest, the relationship between the school and its community is the central focus of this publication. As such, it examines ways in which the education and socialisation of students takes place beyond the school's boundaries, and suggests ways in which parents and community members can better participate in shaping children's futures.

The aim of this resource is to assist teachers to create a positive learning environment by managing and identifying learning needs, 'difference' and student behavioural problems.

This edited collection deals with the philosophical bases of research in the field of educational management. As such it examines research methodology, ethics, qualitative and quantitative analyses, as well as how best to review existing literature.

This publication examines how the educational policies of the various societies in the Asia-Pacific region have been shaped by, and have reponded to, globalisation and its concomitant effects of commercialisation, privatisation and corporatisation.

This publication is based on the experiences of Coombes School in Britain. Coombes has been recognised nationally and internationally for its creative and innovative curriculum in the face of changing educational and economic priorities. Its success has been based on its culture, its use of its environment and an ability to use externally imposed priorities to its advantage.

A series of major reports into public education in New South Wales. The reports cover issues including the teaching profession, curriculum and pedagogy, rural and remote education, VET, disadvantaged students, disabled students and governance.

This publication makes the case for learning differences between boys and girls and presents new ways, based on observed differences between the neurological development of the sexes, for their education.

Janice Massa recounts her experiences as a teacher in an ESL college class in New York where she worked with students who, seemingly, had insurmountable academic, social and linguistic hurdles to overcome. She explains her successful use of constructivist pedagogy, as well as the importance of recognising cultural difference and its impact on cognitive development.

This publication is a collection of papers from eminent British academics on the direction, purpose, methodology, cost and quality of educational research. It should prove thought provoking for researcher and practitioner alike.

This is a practical resource designed to assist teachers and learners with their use of information technology. It will assist those teachers who are attempting to create their own Internet based material with the selection of appropriate software, selection of websites and with designing learning outcomes for web-based teaching.

While the focus of this publication is on web-based education at tertiary level, it is of relevance to educators in general as it brings together many of the issues, problems and opportunities presented by the use of information technology in the classroom. Some of the issues which it addreses include replacing face-to-face learning, bridging the digital divide, web-based teaching and learning, student assessment and the future of ICT and teaching.

The Commonwealth Government commissioned the Values Education Study to enable schools to strengthen what they are already doing in this area, and to disseminate good practice examples. The study includes: 50 innovative case studies from 69 schools; research on values currently taught in Australian schools, how they were developed and how that compares with approaches in other countries; and a Draft National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools to help guide debate on values education. (adapted from Executive Summary)

This is the third annual report on the educational status of children and young people in care in Australia produced by CREATE, and it reports on the progress made by States and Territories over the past year in improving educational outcomes for children and young people in care. In mid 2003, CREATE Foundation undertook a survey of a random group of 278 children and young people in care, aged 9 to 17, from all States and Territories across Australia. The young people were interviewed in relation to:placements, educational experiences, educational planning, educational assistance, and career aspirations. The sample provides a snapshot of the experiences of many children and young people in care. (from Summary).

This is the report of a project commissioned by the Department of Education, Science and Training and conducted by the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Ltd. The project examined the feasibility of using alternative assessment methods to the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER), in order to reflect the increasingly varied qualifications and experiences of prospective university entrants. The key findings of the report are that: the admission of applicants to tertiary study, based on many routes and methods, should be recognised as the norm; there should not be barriers to young people being able to present alternative evidence to the TER as a basis for admission to tertiary study; the development of an alternative method to assess tertiary entrance for non-conventional school leavers is not required, as universities are already using a range of types of evidence to determine proficiency for tertiary study; and resources should be directed to helping students decide their educational and career directions.

Teacher retention is one of the more important issues facing education authorities. Mentoring beginning teachers, to guide them through the intial stages of their careers, is seen as one way to create effective, resilient and accomplished teachers. Having a mentoring program for experienced teachers can also improve career longevity and collegiality. This publication examines the relationship between mentor and protege, and provides advice on how to design and implement effective mentoring programs, as well as on how to evaluate mentoring relationships and strategies.

Building academic resilience in students is to develop in them a set of attributes and dispositons which can counteract influences in the home, school or broader community that are adverse to their education. Students who are considered to be 'at risk' are especially in need of a capacity for resilience. This edited collection examines the concept of educational resilience, and the research surrounding it in the United Sates.

The 'Knowledge and Skills for Life' report contains the initial results of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a major new activity of the 30 member countries of the OECD, together with some non-OECD countries. It aims at assessing how well students, who are approaching the end of compulsory education, have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in society. The report presents evidence on performances in reading and mathematical and scientific literacy, reveals factors that influence the development of these skills at home and at school, and examines the implications for policy development. (OECD PISA)

This publication examines the changing notion of leadership from a unidimensional, single individual model, to a more complex role which necessarily involves more than just one person. This issue is explored in the context of school leadership, which includes school leadership research, theory and practice, building capacity for leadership, and leadership and school improvement.

An exploration by TEEM of the contribution which games can make to the education process.

An overview of science and innovation in Australia, identifying strengths and weaknesses in Australia's performance in areas including ICT take-up, research infrastructure and human capital. School education is seen as needing further attention, with significant declines, between 1991-2001, in enrolments in secondary school physics and chemistry, and in the number of teacher education students taking mathematics and science subjects.

This resource, aimed specifically at schools, explores the many ways in which leadership capacity can be fostered and nurtured at all levels of an organisation, so that the capabilities of staff can be harnessed for sustained school reform and improvement.

Nancy Gill discusses ways in which both teaching and learning can become more meaningful and enriching. She describes one teacher's efforts to learn and teach by nurturing themselves and their students. The book offers glimpses of the emotional and intellectual lives of individual teachers and their students - children, adolescents and adults.

Combining theory, research and practical suggestions, the authors cover curriculum and pedagogy, discipline and classroom management, assessment, relating to students and working with special-needs students. They also cover techniques for embracing diversity, integrating technology in the classroom, interacting with parents, collaborating with colleagues, developing a professional identity, time management, self-management, and organisation. (from publisher's description).

Dr. Deak brings together stories and lessons from more than 20 years as a school psychologist and principal, and introduces a conceptual framework to help parents better understand their daughters. She draws from the latest brain research on girls to illustrate the new ways in which we can help girls learn and thrive. She also gives us the voices of girls themselves as they struggle with body image, self-esteem, intellectual growth, peer pressure, and media messages. (from publisher's description).

This publication provides practical advice for maintaining a productive environment within classrooms. Little offers strategies to manage commonly occurring classroom behaviours, provides step-by-step instructions on behaviour management and how to communicate with parents about their child's behaviour, and outlines effective ways in which to work with children who have ADHD, who are from separated/divorced families, and who are in the middle years of schooling.

Leading experts examine the significance of the new aims for the reform of the British school curriculum. John White discusses the validity of the aims and how they might be realised in schools. The book then focuses on subject specific areas and how these need to be brought into line with the new aims. (Adapted from publisher's description). See also descrption from Institute of Education and icBerkshire.

This resource examines how schools can create an enviromment in which students from culturally diverse backgrounds can reach their educational goals. Based on the experiences of primary schools in Britain, it demonstrates the value of a collaborative and egalitarian culture in building an inclusive school community. The publication deals with issues such as creating a vision for the school, planning school development, assessing achievement, attacking racism and introducing a behaviour policy.

This publication is based on the experiences of a group of teachers who have suffered stress in their workplace. It identifies the causes of their stress - work patterns, relationships and roles - and looks at how school sytems can be restructured to alleviate stress and help in the recovery process.

By examining the role of reflection, we can see how this aspect of teaching can be supported in teachers' professional lives. Author Joelle Jay offers teachers and school administrators concrete cases and recommendations for incorporating reflection into their schools. See publisher's description. Also available from DA Information Services.

Mentoring is one of the more effective ways to train new teachers and retrain mid-career teachers. School administrators need to understand the mentoring mission. Contents include: characteristics of the effective mentor; how administrators can assess their mentor skills; and selecting and training the mentoring team. See publisher's description. Available from DA Information Services.

This resource contains advice for principals, and other senior staff, on effective ways to attract and keep teachers in their schools. The book covers issues such as: young people's career selection; choosing the first teaching job; sustaining interest in the profession; and being a replacement teacher. See publisher's description including sample online contents.

Trouble-Shooting Your Teaching helps educators reflect on their own teaching practices, with a view to identifying their strengths and weaknesses, so as to encourage improvement. Educators will be assisted in identifying key elements in their teaching, isolating possible problem factors, recognising agents of change and initiating improvement. See publisher's description.

Standards Based Leadership provides a structure for professional learning and growth that connects theory with practice. The scenarios are all based on actual problems that have faced practising assistant principals in the United States. In applying the descriptors of the standard and using the brief literature reviews as resources to guide decision-making, assistant principals are provided with a framework for implementation of specific strategies that will best help students. (adapted from publisher's description)

David Hargreaves argues that government needs a strategy to enable knowledge to be transferred laterally within the education system. Instead of continuing to act as the hub through which all new policies are routed, the education department must enable innovation networks to develop. Drawing on his knowledge of network theory and emergence, Hargreaves explains how schools can be linked together so that small-scale innovations in teaching practice catch on quickly and easily. Hargreaves likens this approach to the peer-to-peer networks that have developed on the Internet, which allow music enthusiasts to share sound files. Innovation networks within education would allow teachers to share good practice in a similar way. (from publisher's description). See also comments by David Loader in 'Power to the principal', Educare News March 2004.)

In this book, the author helps teachers better understand various religions, as well as the ways in which students' beliefs might surface in the classroom. Austin shows what a powerful teaching tool knowledge of a student's religious beliefs can be, as they are intertwined with values, which in turn affect learning and motivation. Contents include explorations of different religions, such as Buddhism, Mormonism, Scientology, Judaism, Islam, Quakerism and Roman Catholicism.

Improving Secondary Science Teaching has been written to help teachers, both new and experienced, reflect on their current practice and consider how to improve the effectiveness of their teaching. The publication examines each of the common teaching methods used in science, and provides guidance on management issues and procedures.
Themes include: pupils' interest in science and their motivation to learn; how pupils learn science; the type of science currently being taught in school; and the value of educational research. Chapters cover: the improvement process; planning for progression and continuity; promoting pupils' learning; dealing with differences; making use of information from assessment; and learning about the nature of science. (adapted from publisher's description. Also available from DA Information Services.

This resource seeks to narrow the current gap between educational research and classroom practice in the teaching of physics, with a detailed analysis of research findings derived from experiments involving pupils, students and teachers in the field. Clear guidelines are laid down for the development and evaluation of sequences. Topics in the sequences discussed include: contact, friction and propulsion; pressure in fluids; superposition of electric fields; superposition of coherent waves and optical imaging; and colour phenomena. This feeds into a discussion of sequence evaluation procedures, which underlines the vital importance of teachers' reactions to the detailed aspects of practice proposed to them. Intended for researchers in science teaching, teacher trainers and teachers of physics. (adapted from publisher's description). Also available from DA Information Services.

Teaching and Assessing Skills in Science is one of a series of titles in the Professional Development for Teachers series, developed and published in association with Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). This handbook gives clear, practical and up-to-date guidance on teaching and assessing skills in science, with references to the British assessment system. The book provides guidance to teachers, especially new teachers, about effective classroom practice, coursework setting, and integrating different skill areas. (adapted from publisher's description. Also available from DA Information Services.

This book is for practising science and mathematics educators and researchers, who are interested in designing curriculum and instruction that is grounded in what is known about how the brain works and develops. The contents link neural physiology and neural network theory with cognition and instructional practice, and grounds the current emphasis on inquiry and constructivism in epistemological, philosophical and developmental theory. Available from DA Information Services.

Education, like all professions, has a specialised vocabulary. This online dictionary, from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, provides clear definitions of educational terms in everyday language, from a United States perspective.

In her suggestions on how to manage classroom behaviour, Pirola-Merlo includes case studies and roleplays to illustrate her methods. There is also a detailed discussion of child motivation, as well as a consideration of the many strategies to help children realise their full potential. The book also examines trends in classroom management, and provides important information to teachers on legal principles and definitions in an Australian context.

This publication tells us what principals and teachers think about the issue of bullying between students in schools, and what actions they are taking to counter the problem. It is based upon the findings of a research project undertaken by the authors in 2002, supported by a grant from the Criminology Research Council of Australia. Interviews were conducted with principals, counsellors and teachers at 40 Australian schools. The main finding was that while there are many policies on bullying and harrassment, there are still no common methods used to combat the problem. However, the value of drama in the classroom is noted as a means to initiate discussion between staff and students on the issue of bullying.

Invitations and Inspirations: Pathways to Successful Teaching is a collaborative work supported by the collective experience of ten committed educators and the growing awareness of beginning teachers of what it is to be a professional in the classroom. Using a narrative framework, Invitations and Inspirations features stories from experienced and beginning teachers that explore teacher identity and the scrutiny this identity affords. These narratives are used to indicate cardinal points on the compass of teacher identity, drawing a basic map of the professional terrain to be explored. (adapted from publisher's description)

School Figures presents the most recent statistics, along with historical trends and cross-sectional comparisons, for K-12 schooling in the United States. Topics include: school demographics; family/student demographics; teachers and teacher certification; costs and finance; testing and achievement; public school reform and alternative education routes such as home schooling. See publisher's description and contents page.

This study investigates the views of TAFE teachers, school teachers and school students on VET in Schools programs. It discovered that most schools agree that offering vocational education and training (VET) programs, as part of the higher school certificate, is a useful means of improving students' learning and success at school. VET in Schools programs are also generally believed to provide students with opportunities and pathways which may not have otherwise been available. The range of factors affecting the ability of schools to offer good VET programs are described, as is TAFE's role in assisting early school leavers. (from publisher's description)

With accountability as an underlying theme, this resource helps teachers to translate curriculum content standards into sound classroom practice. Among other issues, it deals with the 'written' and 'hidden' curriculum, assessment, educational planning, classroom management and professional development for students' needs.

A volume of the series Advances in Teacher Education, this publication addresses the important topic of teacher beliefs from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Most of the authors who have contributed to this collection of essays assume that beliefs are propositions that are felt to be true by the person embracing them, but that do not rest on the kind of evidence that justifies the use of the term 'knowledge'. Teacher beliefs are an important topic, because it is hypothesised that teachers, and teacher candidates, use them to affect and shape the information they receive from their formal programs of teacher education, as well as from their experiences in the classroom. Available from DA Information Services.

The authors offer an ecological-interpretive image of 'the basics' in teaching and learning. Through classroom examples, they provide a way to question and open up to conversation the often literal-minded tasks teachers and students face. It also provides examples of interpretive inquiry that will be helpful to graduate students and scholars in the areas of curriculum, teaching, and learning, who are pursuing this form of research and writing. (adapted from publisher's description.) Also available from DA Information Services.

This book explains the theory and practice behind making a project-based system work. It covers learning theory, the role of teachers in such a system, what a school building and school day would look like, examples of student projects and how they are assessed, and a chapter on steps to create a school of this nature. Educators, parents, and students who feel dissatisfied with their present situation, people who are in danger of losing a school to consolidation, and small school movements in urban areas will find this work beneficial, as it provides a different outlook on what learning is, how learning takes place, and how to keep young people interested and excited about learning.

Rethinking Teacher Education is an analysis of the ambivalences and uncertainties that face practitioners in teacher education. The authors try to make sense of current practices and where they might lead. The book analyses past and present constructions of teacher education, and offers insights into how a re-evaluation might address teachers' positions in relation to knowledge, learners, economic demands and democratic values. The issues addressed include political and economic uncertainty and teacher education, philosophical uncertainty and teacher education, and modernist policy solutions and psychology as agents of modernity in teacher education. (adapted from publisher's description.) Also available from DA Information Services.

Straight talk for Principals is a guide for the day-to-day situations and problems principals and school leaders confront. Among other things, it deals with motivation, problem solving, policy making, organisational culture, the school's vision and change management.

This publication appraises the state of the teaching profession in the United States, and asserts that more needs to be done to elevate the quality and working conditions of the teaching profession. Issues such as remuneration, training, hiring, recruitment, school governance and professional development are addressed.

Mindful of the managerialist practices which currently pervade teaching, Judyth Sachs, in The Activist Teaching Profession, addresses the notion of a changing teaching professionalism, one in which teachers' identity is re-invented through a more democratic professional culture, and new approaches to teacher education and professional development. Through changing teachers', and the community's, perceptions of teaching and teachers' work, it is hoped that the 'moral and intellectual leadership' of the profession will be restored.

This publication is informed by Dynamical Systems Theory, and draws on the author's experience of managing and leading schools, in its attempt to present an alternative approach to school improvement. It demonstrates how schools can evolve with their internal and external envrionments using the Dynamical Systems approach. The old and new models of school improvement are compared, and the issues of micro-politics and professional development, as well as their impact on change, are addressed.

This resource brings school leaders and teachers up to date with the latest research and best practice in the area of professional development. It looks at how professional development can bring about change in practice, how school leaders can identify professional development needs, and how the effects of professional development can be measured.

There is growing national and international interest in the concept of social capital, its role, and the ways economic and social policies coalesce to drive economic progress and community well-being. This paper identifies eight areas in which the VET system can contribute to social capital: building social capital in firms; building networks of businesses, especially the small business sector; developing skills; fostering values and norms that underpin social capital; contributing to inclusive and cohesive communities; initiating and contributing to learning community initiatives; using information and communication technology innovatively to build virtual communities; and helping individuals contribute to society as good citizens. The report also discusses indicators for measuring social capital, and implications for VET policy and practice. (from publisher's description)

OECD countries are increasingly characterised as 'network societies', raising the possibility that educational networks could progressively supplant cumbersome bureaucracies both for management functions and as sources of innovation and professionalism. As schools become more autonomous and the world more complex, what forms of organisation and governance will ensure that education does not just fragment into chaos? Such questions inspired seminars organised in Hungary, the Netherlands and Portugal with the OECD's Center for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI). The resulting analysis is published in this latest report in CERI's Schooling for Tomorrow series, useful for both shapers and students of educational change.

Policymakers and practitioners mirror the theory and practice divide. The latter are often too pre-occupied with the immediate challenges of their work, while the former neglect to consider the practicality of their ideas and the contexts in which they have to be applied. This compilation considers how education practice can reflect education policy in areas such as pedagogy, racism, social disadvantage, literacy and control of schools.

Managing time is one of the key skills required of a school leader, as it reduces the amount of stress experienced by individuals in that position. This book demonstrates how school principals can manage time more effectively and, in the process, employ their energy in more creative pursuits, such as creating new ideas and programs. It includes methods for managing and measuring the impact of stress on performance.

Much has been done to increase the amount of teacher leadership in schools. This resource, however, looks at how schools can empower students to fully participate in their education. Mindful of the challenges that face schools, it demonstrates how these can be confronted with a power-sharing ethos. To that end, it includes models of good practice and points of departure for school leaders.

A report on the place of vocational education in schools, its growth and development and its effectiveness in preparing students for post-school options, with particular
reference to: the range, structure, resourcing and delivery of vocational education
programs in schools, including teacher training; the differences between school-based and other vocational education programs and the resulting qualifications; the pattern of industry acceptance of school-based programs; vocational education in new and emerging industries; and the accessibility and effectiveness of vocational education for Indigenous students.

Based on a three-year study, the authors describe how comprehensive teacher induction systems need not be limited to only providing teacher support, but could also be used to promote learning about teaching. For the past 10 to 25 years, induction programs in Shanghai, France, Japan, New Zealand, and Switzerland have provided well-funded induction support that reaches all beginning teachers, incorporates multiple sources of support, typically lasts two or more years, and goes beyond survival skills to promoting learning about teaching. With National Science Foundation funding, and under the auspices of WestEd's National Center for Improving Science Education and Michigan State University, researchers conducted in-depth case studies of induction programs. They particularly focused on novice mathematics and science teachers. A result of this work, this book calls for a re-thinking of what teacher induction should be about, whom it should serve, what the 'curriculum' of induction should be, and the policies, programs, and practices needed to deliver it. (adapted from publisher's description.) Also available from DA Information Services.

This book explores the way teachers are prepared for inclusion in their pre-service and in-service teacher education. Using examples of practice from schools and teaching institutions in the UK, Norway, New Zealand, Australia and the USA, the contributors use a comparative approach to explore how the ideas and practices of inclusive schools are reflected in the curriculum of teacher education, and what tools teachers need to implement strategies for inclusion. (publisher's description.)

Rotberg brings together insiders' accounts of current education reforms in sixteen countries. This book goes beyond myths and stereotypes, to describe the difficult trade-offs countries make as they attempt to implement reforms in the context of societal and global change. In some countries, reforms are a response to major political or economic shifts; in others, they are motivated by large upsurges in immigration and increased student diversity. Irrespective of the reasons for education reform, all countries face decisions about resource allocation, equality of educational opportunity across diverse populations, access to higher education, student testing and tracking, teacher accountability, school choice, and innovation. (from publisher's description.) Also available via DA Information Services

Cuban examines teacher education, curriculum, school administration and the link between educational policy and practice in a bid to determine the ingredients of a good school. Among his findings are that teaching is of crucial importance to improving schools, and that schools are not inherently better because they happen to be traditional, progressive or democratic.

This resource departs from the usual structural analyses and considerations of personal attributes regarding leadership, to look at its subject from a relational perspective ie. from the position that a leader should get to know those who make up an organsiation, so that their leadership can more completely reflect the values of the organisation. It makes the argument that this kind of leadership is able to take leadership into the ethical and moral domains, making it more accomplished.

Britain's recent Interim Report by the Working Group on 14-19 Reform has brought into sharp focus the need for a coherent, integrated and well planned careers education and guidance programme in schools and colleges. In order for young people to make the most of the opportunities in the proposed 14-19 curriculum, Tomlinson argues that they 'must be prepared with the skills and self-awareness to exercise their choices effectively'.

Improving the Educational Outcomes of Boys: Final Report to the ACT Department of Education, Youth and Family Services aims to provide insight into, and direction for, improving educational outcomes for boys. It includes a literature review, a survey measuring motivation, and interviews with students, staff and researchers. It is frequently asserted that boys need male role models at school, but this was not borne out in the interviews conducted with boys for the report. Pedagogy was identified as the key means to improve educational outcomes for all students. Other strategies include: involvement of students in developing and planning programs; more professional development for teachers; integrating strategies across the curriculum; modelling gender equity; developing school-wide pedagogic leadership roles; setting challenging work for students; and developing good teacher-student relationships.See Overview. See also commentary on the report by Steve Holden, 'Boys: what's affecting the educational outcomes of boys, girls?' in Educare News, March 2004.

Designed to support a course for pre-service teachers seeking certification for teaching mathematics in middle and high schools, this resource covers the historical context of mathematics; theories of learning and principles of teaching; and steps for integrating theory into practice. It also contains a section on the relationship between mathematics and technology. See publisher's description. Also available from DA Information Services.

For teachers of mathematics at all educational levels, this book is a collection of papers contributed by professional mathematicians in the United States and Great Britain. The papers consider the advantages and disadvantages of implementing creative instructional styles, such as cooperative learning and educational technology, in classrooms.

A compilation of articles from authors well known in their fields of study, this resource addresses issues such as gender, equity, attitude, teacher belief and knowledge, community of practice, autonomy and agency, and assessment and technology. Its three sections cover: the culture of the mathematics classroom; communications in mathematics classrooms; and the nature of pupils' and teachers' perceptions. For teachers, student teachers, mentors and advisors. Description available via publisher's home page. Also available from DA Information Services.

A resource for researchers, teacher educators, curriculum policy makers and students, covering changes and developments that have occurred in the field since 1994. The content includes: political dimensions of mathematics education; responses in mathematics education to technological developments; and issues in research and professional practice. See publisher's description and contents page. Also available from DA Information Services.

New entry standards for teacher training courses in New Zealand have been proposed in this report compiled from a parliamentary inquiry into the scope, standards and provisions of teacher education. The report documents concerns about the rising number of teacher training providers since the deregulation of teacher education in 1990. There are fears that this rise has led to a significant disparity in the quality of teacher graduates. The report recommends that minimum standards for entry into teacher training be introduced across all courses. Other recommendations cover measures to attract promising candidates without prerequisite qualifications; greater recognition of prior learning; exit standards for the profession; competency of primary teachers in core curriculum subjects; the selection process for associate teachers; training programs to help principals apply the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions consistently; and the quality and resourcing of practicums. See also article, 'Bar may be raised for new teachers', in the New Zealand Herald, 30 November 2004.

This two volume handbook provides an examination of policy, practice, research and theory related to English language teaching in international contexts. More than 80 chapters highlight the research foundation for best practices, frameworks for policy decisions, and areas of consensus and controversy in second language acquisition and pedagogy. The handbook provides a resource for policy makers, educational administrators, and researchers concerned with meeting the increasing demand for effective English language teaching. Research shows that in countries around the world, English has replaced other languages as the second language taught most frequently and intensively in school. Bilingual and trilingual programs involving English have also increased significantly both in private sector and public sector schools. (adapted from publisher's description)

This book offers an alternative history of reading comprehension research and testing in the United States since the 1800s. It examines how the cultural, political and social forces, which sustain race, ethnicity, class, gender and language disparities, have influenced it. Topics include: ideological and philosophical foundations of reading comprehension research and testing; relational forces and their impact on reading comprehension research testing; World War I and the development of reading comprehension and testing; and broadening the ideological and cultural terrain.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This book describes a comprehensive assessment system that analyses both student performance and the elements of different school reading programs.

It illustrates how to use schoolwide action research to empower faculty in collecting data on student progress, reading program effects, assessment practices, and curriculum materials.

Included are guidelines to integrate test score data with demographic information, performance measures, and student attitudes. The book features an action research matrix to evaluate the school reading program's attention to emergent literacy, vocabulary, word analysis skills, comprehension, and reading habits.

Data-gathering tools required to implement a school reading assessment system are included on a CD-ROM that accompanies the book.
(adapted from publisher's description)

As a result of conventional apprenticeships, and some methods of professional training providing limited skilled workers, governments, companies and colleges are all using open and distance learning to fill these gaps.
This international review draws from worldwide experience of vocational training and distance education. It looks at recent policy and practice at many different levels - from transnational programmes and national policies to institutional and programme models. This volume also provides guidance on how distance education and new technologies are being used to support vocational education and training. The book attempts to help senior institutional managers and policymakers to understand the role distance education can play in increasing skill levels in young people and the existing workforce, the challenges in using educational technologies and distance education to deliver vocational education and training, and how to devise effective policies to meet these challenges.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Vocational education in America is a large and diverse enterprise. Spanning both secondary and post-secondary education, the curriculum offers programs in a wide range of subjects, including agricultural science, accounting, word processing, retailing, fashion, respiratory therapy, child care, carpentry, welding, electronics, and computer programming. Although vocational education is intended to help prepare students for work, many educators and policymakers believe its broader mission is to provide a concrete, understandable context for learning and applying academic skills and concepts. The vocational curriculum appeals to a diverse group of students. Individuals from all ethnic backgrounds, and all levels of academic ability and socioeconomic status, take vocational education courses. The majority of secondary students preparing for college have taken at least one vocational course. Similarly, most post-secondary students enrolled in less-than-4-year institutions routinely participate in vocational education programs. This book describes vocational education in America as it has evolved, and examines the patterns of program participation, selected student outcomes, and the characteristics of teachers.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This annual publication provides data on the finance and expenditure of Australia's public vocational education and training (VET) system. Information pertaining to expenses, revenues, assets and liabilities are provided nationally, for each State and Territory, and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA). Comparisons to previous years are also included.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Recognition of prior learning is a crucial element in lifelong learning, but limited information exists about skills recognition implementation and outcomes within Australian enterprises. This study examines the nature of recognition within individual enterprises, including the processes employed, strategies in place for promotion and support, and perceived benefits for enterprises and employees. It finds a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to recognition of prior learning is rarely effective, but should be linked to the enterprise's overall business and training plans, which ensures it evolves as part of the organisations' needs. For enterprises, recognition of prior learning offers organisation-wide benefits, including confirmation of employees' skills and corporate information developed over time, and greater training efficiencies. Employees reveal both personal and organisational benefits, such as having existing personal skills recognised and certified, identifying skill gaps, and achieving nationally recognised and portable qualifications which are recognised outside the enterprise.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Reforms to Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector over the past few years have brought about significant changes to the work of VET staff and the focus of their roles. This publication summarises recent research into the changing roles of VET leaders, managers, teaching and support staff, and the way they work. The role of senior managers is increasingly focused on the external environment and building links with stakeholder organisations. Front-line managers focus on internal business practices and how to modify these to meet new clients' needs. The role of VET teachers is becoming more diverse and team-based. Within these teams, teaching support staff play a critical part. The publication also summarises a range of human resource and professional development issues, identified by VET staff, which need to be tackled to help them work more effectively in the future.
(adapted from publisher's description)

A critical perspective on globalisation is offered in this US-based text, written by a primary teacher and a secondary teacher, and relevant to Years 4-12. Topics include external debt, sweatshops, child labour, poverty, famine, and environmental issues. It examines the colonial roots of modern day inequalities, and inequalities within the USA, and also documents recent instances of revolt against globalisation, e.g. from farmers in India and the Philippines. There is a strong orientation to classroom practice: student activities aim to connect to students' own experiences and encourage action, e.g. to examine where and under what working conditions their clothes have been made, and to write articles or letters protesting any injustice discovered. (Adapted from book review in Harvard Educational Review Fall 2004. See also publisher's description, including the Introduction, index and table of contents online.)

How can schools best prepare themselves to successfully educate refugee children? By focusing on the education of refugee children, this book takes a rare look at a subject of increasing significance in current educational spheres. Highlighting the many difficulties facing refugee children, the editors draw upon international experience and resources. Educational Interventions for Refugee Children identifies school-based interventions, whilst suggesting methods and measures with which to assess the efficacy of such programmes. The editors have developed an overall model of refugee experience, integrating psychological, cultural and educational perspectives, which researchers, practitioners and policy makers in education can utilise.
(adapted from publisher's description)

A range of contributors explore equity and social justice issues within the field of mathematics education. Helga Jungwirth's introductory chapter provides a theoretical overview. Also in part one, Laurie Hart discusses developments in equity research in the United States. Part two focuses on results of studies about social justice and their impact on learning in mathematics classrooms in various parts of the world. For example, in a chapter on Peru, social justice does not just encompass gender, but also inequalities in opportunities to learn, such as problems of resources, living and social conditions, communal demands and language needs. Other topics include: gender; LCT; democratic citizenship; parents and children; and the preconceptions of some teachers of underprivileged students in Australia. Other chapters explore different forms of classroom communication, participation, and assessment.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This book explores the significant social and psychological challenges that children and young people who are visibly different encounter at school. There are many cases of facial disfigurement, which include birthmarks, cleft lip and palate, burns, scars and serious skin conditions. This book aims to help teachers, health professionals, parents and anyone with a commitment to inclusion handle these sensitive questions. Issues dealt with include: staring, curiosity and answering questions; teasing, name-calling and bullying; and medical needs and special education needs.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Psychologists, educators and health care professionals spend considerable amounts of time and energy evaluating the abilities of children and adults they serve through assessment. This book looks at our increasingly diverse culture, and how verbally-laden instruments cannot be used for many children and adults, including those with speech and/or language deficits, hearing impairments, emotional problems, as well as those who cannot be evaluated with tests which rely on standard English. The increase in cultural diversity requires school and mental health professionals to serve this growing community of non-traditional learners. The goal of Handbook of Nonverbal Assessment is to describe the current assessment strategies and related best practices to professionals who serve individuals from diverse cultures, or those who have difficulty using the English language. In general, the intent of this text is: to provide broad, yet detailed, coverage of the most relevant information, including the psychological, sociological, and biological contexts for assessment; to describe best practices in developing fairer tests; to outline the best and most commonly used individual and group tests of cognition; and to develop strategies for nonverbal assessment of related constructs, including achievement, personality, and neuropsychological functioning. Handbook of Nonverbal Assessment targets school psychologists, special educators, speech and hearing specialists, and rehabilitation counsellors. (adapted from publisher's description). Available via DA Information Services.

Based on the belief that decision making is the most critical of all teaching skills, this book argues that good assessment lies at the core of good decision making. Teachers are taught to make informed decisions about both individual students (learning decisions) and about groups of students (teaching decisions). This book gives equal status to both types of decisions and shows how assessment is integral to both. The organisation of the book is sequential, mirroring the way in which information should be used to make decisions. It begins with a conceptual framework linking information to decision making, then moves to the design of assessment instruments and the collection of assessment information. The interpretation of assessment information is covered. There is an emphasis throughout on linking reasons for assessment with techniques for its implementation. Other key features include: classroom behaviour, student motivation and student learning; reporting assessment information to parents, teachers, and administrators; and flexibility within assessment. (adapted from publisher's description)

This book explains how assessment, thinking and learning can be integrated in science lessons. More than 30 different assessment techniques are described, with each one illustrated for two different age ranges. Electronic versions of the activities are provided on the book's accompanying CD. Teachers' notes for each technique explain the approach, how to use it for assessment, how to manage it in the classroom and how it helps with learning. Taking a teacher-centred view rather than a research perspective, this book encourages teachers, students and advisors to make use of the research and improve their practice in assessment. (adapted from publisher's description)

This text is designed to help readers understand how very young children (from birth to six) develop an early awareness, and subsequently develop their knowledge, skills and understandings of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The rapid growth of ICT has prompted concerns among parents, educators and policy makers about the suitability of many educational applications, and electronic toys, for young children. However, evidence is presented to show that the use of ICT by young children is compatible with the principles of a developmentally appropriate curriculum. The authors argue that used imaginatively, many applications of ICT can make a significant contribution to children's social and cognitive development. This book targets students, parents, teachers, and other professionals who want to provide a rich learning environment in education, and in teaching and supervising research in the early years. (adapted from publisher's description)

This book provides a description of preliterate children's development of ideas about writing and numerals, illustrating the many ways in which cultural artifacts influence the mind and vice versa. Children treat writing and numerals as distinct even before they have received any formal training, and well before they learn how to use writing to represent messages and numerals to represent quantities. The author argues that preliterate children's experiences with writing and numerals play an essential and previously unsuspected role in children's subsequent development. The author explores the alphabetic writing system, and the acquisition of a formal system of enumeration to transform children's understanding. Illustrated with historical examples, case studies, and descriptions of children's behaviour, this book is aimed at cognitive scientists, educators, and parents.
(adapted from publisher's description)

A statistical overview of Indigenous peoples' participation and outcomes in vocational education and training (VET) is provided in this report, covering the period of implementation of the Australian National Training Authority's (ANTA) Partners in a learning culture strategy. The report was developed as an outcome of the mid-term review of this strategy. The data analysis provides base benchmarks against which trends over the coming years, and up to 2005 (when the strategy is due to end), can be assessed. The data is sourced from the national VET statistical collections, managed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Publisher's description.

This report examines the process of school leaving and the transition from school to post-school education, training and the labour market. A major focus is on young people who do not complete senior secondary school, as this group is often perceived to be ‘at risk’ of experiencing a problematic transition. The report forms part of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, a research program that is jointly managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). See also the commentary article in Campus Review 6 August 2003.

This study was undertaken to map secondary school students' opportunities to study university units for credit, and to document the policies and conditions which facilitate or impede their access to these programs. Universities and schools are increasingly interested in developing arrangements which enable school students to access university units. Their interest reflects a world-wide trend towards framing education in terms of lifelong learning, and a recognition that able Australian school students need, and deserve, the stimulation of challenging, advanced study. (adapted from the Executive Summary)

Hanifa Dean documents the changes in Australia's perception of its Muslim population since the early twentieth century. She notes, for example, that the hajib only began to be adopted by Muslim women since the 1980s, as a form of security and cultural unifier. The author boarded for three months in a hostel in Western Sydney and recorded her impressions. See the review in the August/September Education Review (supplement to Campus Review).

The contents of this book are drawn from the personal experiences of educators, and pertain to the current processes of teaching, schooling, ‘systems’ and the growing accountability of their profession. The authors voice their strong beliefs about what changes should take place, and suggest solutions to problems that plague education systems worldwide. Questions mainly focus on problems of ‘schooling’ in America, but such problems (eg disengagement and retention) are shared by all involved in learning and teaching. (available from DA Information Services)

Focusing on fifty girls enrolled in a model public school program for pregnant teens, Luttrell explores how pregnant girls experience society's view of them, and also considers how these girls view themselves and the choices they have made. The study uses original methodology to raise and reflect upon issues of gender, race, culture and the institutional structure of schools. (Publisher's description)

Thoroughly updated and revised, the second edition of this book offers a series of reports on groups of children and young people whose complexity, strengths and vulnerabilities are largely unseen or unheard in society and its schools. Suggestions for further exploration – books, films and websites – have been added at the end of each chapter. (available from DA Information Services)

Issues in contemporary science education are explored in this publication. It provides sixteen case studies of students and teachers working together in science classrooms. Various dilemmas about science are discussed, such as the difference between school science and 'real' science. Each case study is followed by a commentary from the teacher and two science educators, with an 'editors' synthesis' drawing the various strands together. (Reviewed in The Journal of the Science Teachers' Association of Western Australia, V38 N4 December 2002)

Progress in science and technology education in Australia's primary schools has been uneven, according to the ATSE. The Academy's concerns include: the inadequacy of teacher education; lack of professional development opportunities for teachers, particularly in-service training; whether technology and science-capable individuals are being attracted into teaching courses; the inadequacy of stakeholders' understanding of the new technology learning objectives; and investment levels in school facilities. More general concerns include the public standing of the teaching profession, teachers' employment conditions, and incentives offered to school leavers to undertake teaching careers. The underlying need is not so much to produce better scientists and engineers, as it is to increase scientific and technological literacy throughout the Australian population. A range of solutions are proposed.

This publication presents coping strategies for school leaders at all levels. Including real-life success stories from individual school administrators, it deals with the nature of stress, stress triggers and response mechanisms and how to capitalise on work stress. It also covers effective time management and interpersonal skills, career renewal and how to care for oneself.

This Australian text aims to explore the complex question of how the concept of childhood is defined, looking at the way in which society constructs and understands childhood. The authors focus in particular on the school, a key location within which social and cultural notions of childhood are defined and performed. The book is divided into three major parts:
Part 1 frames the accepted notions of childhood and schooling, and introduces ethnomethodological analysis as a tool to rethink current versions of the child.
Part 2 focuses on how school students become members of a category within the institution of the classroom. The authors explore this idea through transcripts of discussion between teachers and students, and amongst students themselves in two classroom studies. Part 3 looks at the materials of education, concentrating specifically on children's texts. The authors examine how such texts portray a notion of the child within the story, and also assume a notion of the child as reader of the story. This book targets educational researchers and policy makers, sociologists of childhood, and teachers.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Helping young people learn through play is the focus of this publication, which is aimed at early childhood teachers. It presents current research, examining the positive effects of play on children's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Assessment of a child's learning through play is explored, along with how to make play a more practicable teaching mechanism. Step-by-step recommendations are included for establishing a classroom that promotes play and developing play-based programs designed for children in specific age groups: infants and toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarten children, and primary-age children. A stand-alone section looks at incorporating play into the programs of special needs children.
(adapted from publisher's description)

This book looks examines how evidence-based practice can inform the debate surrounding educational leadership. Evidence-based approaches are a key part of public sector reporting and practice, and there is an implied need to use these approaches when making the links between educational standards and outcomes and educational leadership. To further this aim, this resource demonstrates to educational leaders and polcy makers how to structure research projects, and generate and analyse data.

Due to an aging workforce, teacher supply and retention looms as a major problem for schools and systems in the medium to long term. This publication addresses the situation at the level of the school, by helping school leaders to put in place clear induction strategies and long term professional development programmes, and in providing useful hints on recruiting, interviewing and hiring.

This resource demonstrates to school leaders and teachers how to build a collaborative school commuity in which all participate in diagnosing and solving the problems within a school. Working from the premise that all educators should play a part in leadership, and that overall learning outcomes are improved in a collaborative enviroment, this resource outlines the skills necessary for building whole-school relationships.

This book reports on the policies and practices regarding computers in education in a range of countries, including Australia and New Zealand. It results from the international comparative study of the use of Computers in Education (CompEd) conducted by IEA, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Available via DA Information Services.

E-learning is growing swiftly, creating increased interest in the modularisation and packaging of course materials into what is becoming known as 'learning objects'. These are the building blocks of online courses and programs, that may be adapted and used in different contexts, offering efficient use of expensive multimedia courseware. This book reviews current developments in learning objects and metadata. Early chapters introduce these concepts, while later chapters introduce relevant applications and provides case studies. Contributions are provided from Australia and other countries. To be published in December 2003. Available via DA Information Services.

Moloney, an award winning author of books for children and young adults and a teacher/librarian in a boy's school, draws upon his own practical experience to provide this reference book. Maloney discusses why it's important for boys to read books, and gives readers ideas for encouraging them. He explores the different types of readers amongst boys, including the reluctant reader, and offers ideas for books that may appeal to them. It includes an extensive recommended reading list and suggestions for audio books.

The Handbook presents readily accessible, but scholarly, sources of information about educational research in the Asia-Pacific region. Its articles present research findings, outline problems and issues facing education in the region from a variety of perspectives, and indicate likely future developments. See publisher's description. Also available through DA Information Services.

As the title suggests, this resource offers advice and stategies for new and aspiring school leaders to help them make the transformation to 'strong and effective instructional leaders'. It deals with the concerns of school leaders and the kinds of skills they will need to survive the initial years of leadership, and contains strategies on how to make the most of the role of deputy head teacher.

This resource examines the application of leadership theory and the way it informs practical leadership. It looks at the essential competencies of leaders, current research in the area of leadership, leadership ethics and kinds of leadership, including transformational leadership, team leadership and the psychodynamic approach.

Drawing on the experiences of both private businesses and schools, this resource is a compendium of school leadership and management issues and strategies. Amongst other advice, it includes sections on dealing with school culture, networking and practical leadership.

Through a series of edtorial commentaries and observation, Lou Fourier takes a satirical look at education issues in the United States of America. While reflecting the author's concerns about the current state of education, this book also considers the future of the education system, touching on the areas of technology, assessment, leadership, professional development and school culture.

Citizenship through Secondary Religious Education highlights some of the key issues surrounding citizenship for the teacher of religious education. There are chapters covering general, critical planning issues and others concentrating
on specific themes, such as: the open society and its enemies; planning for citizenship through religious education; genocide; asylum; freedom of religion and belief; sustainable development; and the rights of indigenous peoples.
See publisher's description and table of contents)

This publication is an anthology of works on gender and education. Beginning with a consideration of the history of gender in education, it moves on to dealing with issues such as male and female identity; gender equity in the curriculum; violence in schools; and single sex versus co-educational schools.

Centred on education in the United States, this edited collection examines responses to the report, A Nation at Risk, produced by the National Commission on Excellence in Education twenty years ago. Its relevance to readers outside of the United States will be in the areas it evaluated to gauge the impact of educational reform - such as student achievement, school quality, teacher reform, the curriculum and the early years of schooling - the results of this evaluation, and the principles which it recommends as the basis for meaningful change, namely accountability, choice and transparency.

A report on a project, funded by the Department of Education, Science and Training, which gauged the extent of explicit commitment by teacher educators to community partnerships that find expression in the content and processes of university programs. The project involved a literature review, survey, case studies and a participatory forum. Each phase of the project has highlighted the importance of an authentic process of engagement with the community, and shared reflection on action in delivering productive program outcomes. (See description by the Department.)

The focus of this year's edition of Education at a Glance is on the quality of learning outcomes and the policy levers that shape those outcomes. This includes a comparative picture of students' performance in reading, their mathematical and scientific literacy, and their attitudes, engagement and learning strategies. The study also examines the broader private and social returns that accrue from investments in education. More details from OECD.

While many teaching method texts include an add-on chapter on teaching with technology, this work integrates the use of technology into every phase of the social studies curriculum. Filled with decision-making scenarios and reflective questions that help bring the material to life, it covers the development of teaching technologies and lesson plans, and includes actual instructional models in history and social studies. Throughout the book the authors provide practical examples, worksheets, graphic organizers, suggested activities, as well as methods for assessing and evaluating student performance. (from publisher's description)

Issues considered cover: the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT) to the development of learning; the role and potential of e- learning; computer supported collaborative learning and innovative pedagogy; as well as issues such as online knowledge communities and multimedia animation. (from publisher's description)

Jack Gifford presents a professional approach to, and development of, syllabi, particularly those supported by electronic media. After teaching for over thirty years, seeing and preparing over 75 syllabi, plus reviewing another 90 online syllabi, Gifford has yet to find the "100% syllabus." All are missing key dimensions, don't reflect internally consistent pre-planning, and most are not presented in a user-friendly manner. He explores the nine major steps essential to the conceptual development of any e-syllabus, prior to creating the first word of the syllabus itself. Only after the completion of these steps can one decide on the roles and format of the e-syllabus, followed by the actual creation of the e-syllabus. More details from publisher.

John P. Davies offers an understanding of how the emerging electronic culture impacts learning. His book discusses how inventions and innovations in communication technologies have been received through history; provides a perspective for understanding the electronic culture that is emerging because of advances in communication technologies; compares and contrasts a print-based and electronic culture; and explores how the computer is radically altering the writing process as well as our understanding of what constitutes text. (from publisher's description) See table of contents.

Issues coverered in this publication include: research on web-based learning; technology and equality in education; specific web tools for promoting critical thinking; at-risk students and web-based courses; and the pedagogical impact of course management systems. Available through DA Information Services.

Virtual schools are a result of widespread changes in knowledge about learning and in using available technology. This book brings together knowledge of virtual schools as a reference for scholars and others involved in the field. The chapters review best practice from concept and development through to implementation and evaluation. Topics include utilsation trends, leaning environments, instructional design, characteristics of virtual school teachers, assessment, administration, quality measurement and future trends.

The latest in a series of yearly reports, these tests cover reading and viewing, and spelling and writing in the literacy area, and number, measurement and data, and space in the numeracy area. The purpose of the testing program is to contribute to the improvement of student performance in literacy and numeracy generally, and provide information about the percentage of Queensland students achieving the national benchmarks in reading and numeracy. Around 155,000 students were tested across Queensland in August last year. Year 3 reading and viewing scores increased slightly, while Year 3 spelling scores decreased slightly. Years 5 and 7 scores in reading and viewing, and spelling and writing, also declined slightly. There were slight increases in numeracy scores across all Year levels.

This resource looks at how to achieve the learning outcomes required in the early years curriculum in the United Kingdom. It is centred on the physical, intellectual, aesthetic and spiritual development of students in Years 3-7, and examines ideas relating to continuity, progression, subject knowledge and pedagogy.

Professional educators now require a sufficient awareness of the law to implement sound preventative legal risk management systems in their schools. Teachers, principals and administrators are increasingly aware of how the law underpins school policies and procedures, and how decisions from the courts have impacted on student management and welfare. Schools, Courts and the Law is a new Australian book, written to assist educators manage student welfare, and protect themselves against liability. (adapted from publisher's description)

This publication is aimed at assisting principals in their institutional leadership role, as opposed to their educational leadership role. The issues addressed in this resource, therefore, include monitoring Internet usage, the role of the deputy principal, maintaining a safe school environment, and the relationship between the principal and those to whom they are accountable.

Although pitched at United States educators, this resource will be of relevance to all teachers who aim to engage parents and families in their students' education. It contains practical tools and suggestions on how to develop partnerships between families and schools, and advice on how to produce better academic outcomes for students using family-school partnerships. As such, it provides an action plan outline for educators' use, and hints on how to interview families, and on surveying attitudes and knowledge about school-family partnerships.

U.S. history standards in 48 states and the District of Columbia are evaluated in this report, on the basis of comprehensive historical content, sequential development and balance. It is the third of four reports released by the Fordham Foundation and Institute as part of Back to Basics: Reclaiming Social Studies, the organization's effort to revitalize the teaching of US history and civics. Though schools cannot be held exclusively responsible for forging good citizens, they have a unique obligation to handle the 'cognitive' side, that is, to ensure that young people gain the requisite knowledge and intellectual skills. However, the reports finds few bright spots, describing most state standards for U.S. history teaching as 'a parade of mediocrity'.

Teacher-student relationships are one of the most important influences on student motivation and learning. Students are less likely to exhibit anti-social behaviours, if they have a good relationship with their teachers. Based on the author's research, this resource provides educators with practical ways to cultivate better relationships with their students, and includes ideas for dealing with difficult students.

This publication shows teachers how to foster motivation in students, and create environments in which students will be motivated to acheive academically. It provides strategies to encourage student motivation, along with identifying the various factors which influence it. Furthermore, it identifies the key stages in a task when different kinds of motivation are called for, such as 'novelty' and 'percpetion' at the beginning of a new task, which differ from the kinds of motivational strategies students need to complete a task.

When the behaviour of young children causes concern, practitioners often find it difficult to identify exactly what the child's needs are, or how to focus their support most effectively. This book should help meet this challenge. Its inclusive approach seeks to promote positive behaviour in all children, and includes a straightforward assessment process to identify children who need additional support, practical strategies to encourage positive behaviour and promote emotional wellbeing, and informative case studies that show how solutions work in practice.

This book provides a framework for understanding child abuse and child protection issues, and is relevant to a range of people who work with children, in a variety of professional and informal settings. Kay provides case studies, points for reflection, self-assessment exercises and suggestions for developing readers' own practice. Available from DA Information Services

Aimed primarily at a US audience, the handbook is designed to provide school psychologists, pediatric psychologists, clinical child psychologists, pediatricians and child psychiatrists with a comprehensive and authoritative guide to their growing responsibilities in the fields of psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, health promotion, and prevention of disease.

The contributions in this edited collection explore the possibilities of technology in the classroom, with the aim of making its influence truly transformative for student learning, as opposed to using it to disguise 'old practices in high-tech packaging'. The effects and uses of digital technologies are considered in relation to multiliteracies, distance learning, professional development, home-school engagement, and global understanding.

While situated in the British context, this edited collection considers the question of educating for citizenship, and the 'assumptions, principles and presuppositions' that it entails. Among the many themes considered by the publications' contributors are inclusion, multiculturalism, gender, the status of children and young people, and teaching controversial issues.

Engagement, relevance and participation should be the aim of the curriculum, but all too often these are sacrificed for expediency, and because teachers lack the wherewithal to change teaching practices. Classroom educators can make a difference to student engagement and participation, and this publication helps them to use a 'critical pedagogy' to make their classes more relevant to students' needs and interests, more engaging of their students' values and, therefore, more participatory.

Aimed at librarians and curriculum specialists, this resource will help those professionals organise their collections, and alert them to availble curriculum resources. Audiovisual, print and web-based material are covered, as are the curriculum areas of various publishers.

This publication shows teachers how to use children's literature, to help problem readers obtain higher order thinking skills. Students will be introduced to figurative language and the use of descriptive vocabularly, they will learn how to use mathematical skills when reading texts, and to analyse the text and the issues raised within it.

Higher learning and better achievement levels for students is dependent on teacher professional development and ongoing learning. Peery brings together much of the theory and practice on professional development, and provides five key recommendations for better staff development.

Westwood helps teachers to diagnose students' learning difficulties in mathematics, and equips them with strategies to help students remedy some of the more common problems associated with learning in that subject. Teachers will learn how to identify gaps in students' mathematical knowledge, and how to devise curricula to encourage problem solving, in order help overcome learning difficulties.

Why Teach Mathematics presents detailed arguments for seven interconnected objectives of a school system aiming at general education. A specific concept of general education, involving these seven objectives, serves as a basis for a critique of the current widespread form of mathematics instruction, identifying its deficits and determining necessary innovations. Existing concepts of mathematics teaching are re-examined and assessed in the light of the concept of general education. The book also profiles an alternative for mathematics instruction. (publisher's description)

Updated with new research, the second edition links the practical experience gained in school placements with the theoretical background surrounding it.
Guidance is drawn from accounts of experiences in actual classrooms, giving students and newly qualified teachers practical ideas for planning and evaluating pupil's learning, and insights into their own development as new teachers. (publisher's description) Also available from DA Information Services.

The Report describes the proposed vision and functions for the National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership (NIQTSL), and raises proposals regarding the Institute's mode of operation, governance, corporate structure, location, performance indicators and funding. It raises options for the Institute to coordinate professional standards, teacher training and accreditation of domestic and overseas teaching graduates. The Institute is also called on to communicate research findings to classroom teachers 'in way that they can digest and action'. While the Report recommends a greater role for universities in the development and dissemination of best practice standards for classroom teachers, the autonomy of university education departments would be challenged by the proposed regulatory role of the Institute. A leadership program for principals and teachers is proposed. A longer term goal is for the Institute to set an 'acceptable set of standards' to accredit and certify school principals'. There are also proposals to reward teachers for undertaking additional training and demonstrating excellent teaching. (Commentary drawn from Project update by Allen Consulting Group, Campus Review 7 April 2004 and The Australian 1 April 2004.)

Written for an Australasian context, The Book of the Board explains the purpose of a board in non-profit organisations such as schools and colleges; the board's formal and legal responsibilities; and the main areas where a board can add to the organisation's effectiveness. Most importantly, the book describes ways in which boards can manage their caretaking responsibilities efficiently, freeing time and energy for activities that enhance the overall performance of the organisation such as strategic planning, policy-setting, co-ordinated advocacy and fundraising, and performance monitoring. This practical book also contains case studies and examples, interviews with senior board members, checklists, and sample documents. (adapted from publisher's description. See also review in Educare News 139, August 2003.)

This study sets out to illustrate how gender inequity impacts on primary classrooms. It uses the findings of research to provide teachers with recommendations for promoting equity amongst boys and girls. Each contributor summarises recent research in their field, before looking specifically at issues relevant to primary teaching and learning.

The Enterprise Education Action Research Project was conducted in approximately 200 primary and secondary schools over the period of April 2002 to April 2004. This action research is the first comprehensive national analysis of enterprise education in Australian schools and demonstrates the key elements for successful implementation of enterprise education.

The research is underpinned by a wide variety of actual school experiences. Some schools embraced the project as an opportunity to review, analyse and document their enterprise education experiences, whilst other schools document ways to introduce enterprise education into their school.
(adapted from publisher's description)

The POEM Pilot was designed to test new ways of engaging young people who have become disconnected from mainstream education, and often their families and communities as well. The evaluation builds on the action research that the Pilot had been undertaking and has shown that a variety of approaches to re-engage young people on a learning pathway have been successfully trialled.

The lead agencies delivering the POEM projects varied considerably, with a number having a strong focus on the provision of educational services, although often in settings such as juvenile justice institutions, religious-based youth and community services, or the VET sector. Others were delivered by youth and community service organisations.

The aspects that appear to have an impact on the effectiveness of service delivery include strong leadership, a dedicated project coordinator, a client-centred focus, skilled staff who can build rapport with young people, flexible delivery of education programmes, individualised approaches and a good mix of youth support services and education and training personnel.

Evaluation indicates that the majority of young people engaged in the POEM projects made sound progress towards developing their education levels, life skills and employability skills throughout their time in POEM. Accordingly, the provision of ongoing funding for POEM-like models is supported.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Developments in information technology are bringing about changes in science education. This Reader focuses on the theoretical and practical considerations of using information and communications technologies in teaching and learning. It examines current approaches to teaching and learning in science at various levels of education, and ways in which science is made more accessible. The publication is divided into three sections: current issues in using ICT to teach and learn in science; designing and evaluating ICT to teach and learn science; and extending access to science learning.
Academics and science educators will find this resource useful.
(from publisher's description)

A compilation of studies conducted in a variety of cross-cultural contexts where children learn language and literacy with siblings, grandparents, peers and community members. Focusing on the knowledge and skills of children often invisible to educators, the studies highlight how children skilfully draw from their varied cultural and linguistic worlds to make sense of new experiences. The contributors demonstrate the generative activity of young children and their mediating partners - family members, peers, and community members - as they syncretise languages, literacies and cultural practices from varied contexts. The book challenges readers to examine assumptions and cultural stereotypes about literacy learning, as well as their own teaching practices and beliefs.

This book explores attempts in the USA and Britain to use partnerships between to link the civil society and the state in educational settings. Offering an insight into the nature of educational partnerships, this volume argues that if current trends continue we may find ourselves with citizens overburdened with responsibility for educational outcomes and having less control over educational processes.
See publisher's description.

This collection of essays addresses important questions on economic prosperity, civic accord and democratic citizenship, drawing on insights of an international group of thinkers in philosophy and education. The volume opens with an interview with Alasdair MacIntyre, conducted by Joseph Dunne, where MacIntyre articulates his most challenging arguments to date on education as a human undertaking. Responding to the kinds of issues raised by MacIntyre, the essays proceed to provide illuminating and lively explorations of education as a practice in the cultural conditions of late modernity. (from publisher's description)

This book is part of a discussion about what constitutes effective instruction for students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Designed to guide teachers, as well as provoke them to reflect on their practice in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms, it contains teaching principles, as well as concrete ideas for teaching content knowledge to culturally diverse students. The ideas and strategies described in the book can be applied to various content areas. (adapted from publisher's description)

This is the website for a research project aiming to identify and examine career advice and guidance projects related to VET in Schools programs for Indigenous students. It will make recommendations that will lead to the development of any future programs in ways that are responsive to the research findings. People and organisations/stakeholders from all States and Territories of Australia will be invited to participate. It is funded by the Australian National Training Authority and is overseen by the Secretariat of the MCEETYA Taskforce on Transition from School. The website is administered by Curriculum Corporation.

Blake attempts to recover the voices of 'multiply-marginalised' adolescents, who have developed their own cultures of refusal on the streets and in gaols. Through an understanding of their environments, lives and literacies, she hopes to formulate a response to 'institutionalised' racism and violence.

This publication is based on two reports on research conducted in the Newham area in London. It argues that learning assessment is based on behaviouralist models of education, and tends to privilege boys' developmental needs as opposed to the emotional needs of girls. Girls' Voices then considers whether girls' needs are on the agenda at all, and what educators can do to be more inclusive of girls' learning and emotional development.

The influences of families/whanau and communities are identified as key levers for high quality outcomes for diverse children. Outcomes include both social and academic achievement. The focus is on children from early childhood through to the end of secondary schooling. This best evidence synthesis is based on a wide range of New Zealand data and overseas studies. Findings are summarised into four categories: family attributes, family processes, community factors, and centre/school, family and community partnerships.
(adapted from Executive Summary).

Assessing Expressive Learning proposes and supports a research-supported, teacher-directed authentic assessment model for evaluating K-12 studio art, and offers practical information on how to implement that model. This practical text for developing visual arts assessment for grades 1-12 is based on, and supported by, the results of a year-long research program. The program was primarily sponsored by the United States' National Endowment for the Arts, and involved 70 art teachers and 1,500 students in 12 school districts in Florida, Indiana, and Illinois. The publication reports on current assessment methods, but also highlights a portfolio assessment process that can be used, or adapted for use, in any K-12 art classroom. The study also serves as a guide for the conduct of similar experiments by art teachers in schools internationally.
(adapted from publisher's description)
Available via DA Information Services.

For all involved in teaching young children, this book offers a tool with which to develop a broad, creative and inspirational visual arts programme. Presented in two parts, this text covers both theory and practice. Part one investigates contemporary early childhood art education, challenging the traditional interpretation of an early years art experience. Part two presents the reader with a number of inventive visual art lessons that meet goals for creative development. The author strikes a balance between discussion of the subject and provision of hands-on material for use in lessons. This publication targets teachers wishing to implement a more holistic art curriculum in the classroom, whilst endeavouring to meet all the required standards. (adapted from publisher's description)

Promoting Assessment as Learning sets out to re-examine the relationship between assessment and learning in the classroom. It argues that assessment is an important part of student learning, and needs to be understood by students in order to help them make judgements about their own progress.
This timely book explores the theories of learning and assessment within the context of national tests, and also through the theme of self-assessment. It offers practical approaches to help teachers translate national policy into meaningful classroom practice, and suggests ways to help students develop their own assessment skills through a process of consolidation, reflection and revision.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Dr Michele Lonsdale, ACER Research Fellow, conducted a review showing
that school libraries can have a positive impact on a range of learning areas, including reading scores, literacy, and broader learning. This review highlights the significant change in role of school libraries and teacher librarians in Australia in recent years. Covered is the decline in the number of qualified teacher librarians, the explosion in information production, and the development of increasingly sophisticated information and communication technologies. Also highlighted are the changes in educational philosophy and practice, including a greater focus on learning outcomes, inquiry-based learning, evidence-based practice and school accountability.
Information from state surveys and anecdotal evidence provides a basis for this national data. (adapted from researcher's description)

Sonia Nieto, a teacher educator, explores what can be learned from veteran teachers who not only continue to teach, but also manage to remain enthusiastic about it. This volume provides advice on how some teachers are solving the everyday challenges of student learning, by exploring teachers' motivations and the underlying reasons for their professional longevity. Nieto's analysis is based on a one-year study, involving a focus group of 12 teachers who each had more than two decades of experience.
(adapted from publisher's description)

Believing principal leadership may be the key to increasing teacher retention, Charlotte Advocates for Education (CAE), an independent non-profit organization, has just released findings from its study, Role of Principal Leadership in Increasing Teacher Retention: Creating a Supportive Environment.
Last year approximately 1,230 teachers (16.7% of the teaching force) left Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Each time a teacher leaves the system, the cost is approximately $11,500 for recruiting, hiring, and providing orientation and professional development for the replacement. Thus in economic terms alone, these 1,230 teachers who left last year equate to $14.2 million. The cost to students is even higher with the lack of stability and the loss of teaching expertise.
National and local research indicates a teacher's decision to stay at a school largely depends upon the principal and his or her leadership in the school.
CAE sought to understand this relationship between principals and teacher retention by studying CMS principals, particularly those in high needs schools, who have been more successful in retaining teachers while increasing student achievement. (adapted from publisher's description)

The new online version of the School Library Journal serves librarians in school and public libraries, and features information for English teachers. Much of the material is US specific, however, users will find under Sections a large number of articles posted in 2003 dealing with issues relevant to Australian classrooms. In particular, Building influence, Focus on and Up for discussion feature current debates on issues such as print versus electronic materials, moral and ethical perspectives in stories, and fears engendered by picture books. Website reviews provides links to websites on a wide range of topics, from the CIA to science and plagiarism. (adapted from publisher's description)

Internet Environments for Science Education synthesises 25 years of research to identify effective, technology-enhanced ways to convert students into lifelong science learners. It offers design principles for development of innovations. It also features tested, customisable inquiry projects that professional developers, teachers and students can enact and refine. New methods and assessments are introduced to investigate the impact of technology on inquiry learning. The methodology is designed to enable investigators to capture the impact of innovations in education and to use these findings to improve the innovation. The technology-enhanced inquiry approach takes advantage of global, networked information resources, sociocognitive research, and advances in technology. The book advocates leveraging inquiry and technology to reform the full spectrum of science education activities, including instruction, curriculum, policy, professional development, and assessment.
(adapted from publisher's description)